Henry Glassie

Henry Glassie (born 1941) is an American folklorist and scholar of material culture. He is widely known for research on vernacular architecture and folk art, and for documenting traditional life through close study of everyday objects, buildings, and craft practices. Glassie’s work has explored both Irish and American traditions, bringing attention to how communities express history and identity through handmade forms and local design. Writing for academic and general audiences, he has helped shape modern folklore studies by treating ordinary material culture as a serious source of knowledge. His publications and fieldwork have influenced scholars of architecture, anthropology, and cultural history.