Mary Elizabeth Cadle (née Barnicle; April 17, 1891 - November 26, 1978) was an American folklorist, Medieval English literature professor, and activist interested in women's and African-American rights, suffrage, and the labor movement.

Hurston, and Barnicle toured the Southern United States and parts of the Bahamas (specifically Nassau and Andros) to record folk songs and stories.

During their trip, Alan was in charge and had two years of collecting and recording experience, Barnicle kept notes and had knowledge of ballads and folk songs, and Hurston served as their gatekeeper and guide to Southern and African American culture.

During that same year, Tillman Cadle, a labor activist and coal miner, would travel to New York to have surgery on a shoulder injury and while there, he met Barnicle through his friend, Jim Garland.

[8] She also recorded and worked with Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter), she took him around New York City and introduced him to others in the folk music movement, namely Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.

[citation needed] Barnicle was a member of the Modern Language Association[11] and Vice President of the Folklore Society of Tennessee in 1949.