The North Carolina Society of Historians commented that Clark’s “contributions provide a vivid and wide ranging account of our first settlers, Native Americans, and the attempts of Spain to add our region to its vast empire.”

Larry Richard Clark ’62, of Burke County, received the Historian of the Year Award from the North Carolina Society of Historians during its 76th annual awards banquet. Several other individuals and organizations in various categories, including fiction and nonfiction books, news articles, public events, genealogy and media, poetry, historical plays, museums and documentaries, were also recognized.

The award is given to those who have made outstanding contributions to the preservation of local, regional and statewide history. Clark was specifically recognized for his decades of teaching, as well as his writing, which explores North Carolina’s prehistoric Native Americans and its earliest colonial era, when Spanish soldiers marched across the Carolinas.

The society previously recognized Clark’s book, “Burke County: Tales from the Gateway to the Blue Ridge” (The History Press, 2007), and presented him the Paul Green Multimedia Award for his play, “Of Eagles and Wolves.” The paly, which is about 16th century Spanish conquistadors invading the Carolinas, has yet to be produced.

Clark, who holds a Bachelor of Science in history, social studies education from Appalachian, and a master’s degree in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is dean emeritus of Western Piedmont Community College’s social studies division. He is also the co-founder of the History Museum of Burke County.

His publications are available from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers as paperbacks and e-books for a variety of digital readers.

About the Department of History

The Department of History offers a broad curriculum in local, national, regional and world history at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, which encourages history majors to develop a comprehensive approach to human problems. The study of history is an essential part of a liberal arts education and offers valuable preparation for many careers, such as law, journalism, public history, public service and business, as well as in teaching and the advanced discipline of history. Learn more at https://history.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.