Clark, Mattie

Mattie Clark (b. 1941) was a storyteller whose stories primarily revolved around African-American culture. Clark began her storytelling career as a volunteer teacher's aide, eventually making it a full-time job. She was active in schools and libraries, as well as nursing homes, hospitals, and many other settings where her stories reached people of all ages. Clark was very involved in the Twin Cities Black Storytellers Alliance and the National Association of Black Storytellers, which gave her the Esteemed Elder Award in 2006. She hosted many radio programs for University of Minnesota station KUOM, including series "Black Folk Tales" and "Sundown, with Mattie Clark" as part of the Minnesota School of the Air in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Clark wrote a regular column for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. She also appeared on radio station KMOJ in Minneapolis. Clark died in 2010.