Thad Stem Jr. Writer
Thaddeus Stem, Jr. (1916–1980) of Oxford, North Carolina was a poet, author and newspaper columnist. His work frequently appeared in the Raleigh News & Observer and The Pilot (Southern Pines, N.C.). He also wrote or co-wrote 16 books. The major works including: The Animal Fair (1960), Entries from Oxford (1971), Senator Sam Ervin's Best Stories (1973), and Thad Stem's Ark (1979). He was honored with the North Carolina Award for Literature in 1974. Many contemporary audiences know Stem as a character featured in Timothy B. Tyson's memoir Blood Done Sign My Name.