Morris Steggerda
Encyclopedia
Morris Steggerda was an American physical anthropologist
. He worked primarily on Central American and Caribbean populations.
in 1922, and an A.M. and Ph.D from the Department of Zoology of the University of Illinois, in 1923 and 1928 respectively. His first academic position was as assistant professor of zoology at Smith College
(1928–30), but most of his career was spent as an investigator with the Carnegie Institution for Science
at Cold Spring Harbor, New York
(1930–44). From then until his death of a heart attack on March 15, 1950, he was professor of Anthropology at Hartford Seminary Foundation in Connecticut. During World War II
, he assisted the Office of Strategic Services
, specifically with a "1943 OSS document, the 'Preliminary Report on Japanese Anthropology,' ... which reveals that World War II-era anthropologists were recommending culture- and race-specific means of killing Japanese soldiers and civilians."
He was an honorary member of the American Eugenics Society
, and a council member of the American Anthropological Association
. He was a founding member of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists
in 1930, and subsequently served on its Executive Committee and as its vice president.
Steggerda's academic biography and complete list of publications was published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 9 N.S., No. 1, March 1951. It reveals an astounding diversity of research topics and questions ranging from fingerprints, anthropometry, heredity, metabolism, family genealogies and histories. Among this work are a study of the anthropometry of Smith College coeds from 1929 and a study of the detrimental effects of feeding a pigeon polished rice versus brown rice. Steggerda joined the Division of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution of Washington as part of the changes brought about with the hiring of Alfred V. Kidder as director of this research unit. This no doubt was inspired by the President of the CIW, Merriam Campbell, who as a physical anthropologist interested in holistic evolutionary interpretations of cultures. Steggerda's ethnographic based research in the community of Piste, three kilometers from Chichen Itza provides data ranging from the profundity of soils from his experimental garden, complete descriptions of all architecture in the community within a five year period (1933-1938), and meticulous anthropometry of the nearly 500 members of the community to useful social histories, complete census materials for the 1930s. Steggerda conducted eight years of research in Piste.
The corpus of his research materials formed the basis for an ethnographic research project in the 1990s directed by Quetzil Castaneda. The materials were curated in an interactive exhibition for the community to engage in the town hall over a three day period.
, with whom he wrote the book Race Crossing in Jamaica, published in 1929.
Despite his clear racial and specifically eugenic approach to human diversity, Steggerda was a bit different in interpretive outlook than his Davenport. While Davenport converted the slightest bit of data or non-data into racial ideology, Steggerda was exceptionally circumspect. He was methodical and precise and did not make interpretations that exceeded the methods and data employed in his research. No doubt this is one aspect to the collaboration between Steggerda and Davenport: Steggerda did the methodical work and Davenport did the interpretive exegesis of racial "hybridization."
Steggerda's complete list of publications was published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 9 N.S., No. 1, March 1951.
He published several dozen articles in journals such as: Eugenical News, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Journal of Comparative Psychology, American J. Physiology, Ecology, Poultry Science, Plant Physiology, American Dietitic, Science, Nature, and the Proc. American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Physical anthropology
Biological anthropology is that branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in paleoanthropology and in forensic anthropology...
. He worked primarily on Central American and Caribbean populations.
Biography
He received an A.B. from Hope CollegeHope College
Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
in 1922, and an A.M. and Ph.D from the Department of Zoology of the University of Illinois, in 1923 and 1928 respectively. His first academic position was as assistant professor of zoology at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
(1928–30), but most of his career was spent as an investigator with the Carnegie Institution for Science
Carnegie Institution for Science
The Carnegie Institution for Science is an organization in the United States established to support scientific research....
at Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Cold Spring Harbor is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 4,975.Cold Spring Harbor is in the Town of Huntington.-History:...
(1930–44). From then until his death of a heart attack on March 15, 1950, he was professor of Anthropology at Hartford Seminary Foundation in Connecticut. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he assisted the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
, specifically with a "1943 OSS document, the 'Preliminary Report on Japanese Anthropology,' ... which reveals that World War II-era anthropologists were recommending culture- and race-specific means of killing Japanese soldiers and civilians."
He was an honorary member of the American Eugenics Society
American Eugenics Society
The American Eugenics Society was a society established in 1922 to promote eugenics in the United States.It was the result of the Second International Conference on Eugenics . The founders included Madison Grant, Harry H. Laughlin, Irving Fisher, Henry Fairfield Osborn, and Henry Crampton...
, and a council member of the American Anthropological Association
American Anthropological Association
The American Anthropological Association is a professional organization of scholars and practitioners in the field of anthropology. With 11,000 members, the Arlington, Virginia based association includes archaeologists, cultural anthropologists, biological anthropologists, linguistic...
. He was a founding member of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists
American Association of Physical Anthropologists
The American Association of Physical Anthropologists is an American-based international scientific society of physical anthropologists. It was formed in 1930, with Morris Steggerda as one of its founding members. They have 1,700 members. They publish the American Journal of Physical...
in 1930, and subsequently served on its Executive Committee and as its vice president.
Steggerda's academic biography and complete list of publications was published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 9 N.S., No. 1, March 1951. It reveals an astounding diversity of research topics and questions ranging from fingerprints, anthropometry, heredity, metabolism, family genealogies and histories. Among this work are a study of the anthropometry of Smith College coeds from 1929 and a study of the detrimental effects of feeding a pigeon polished rice versus brown rice. Steggerda joined the Division of Historical Research of the Carnegie Institution of Washington as part of the changes brought about with the hiring of Alfred V. Kidder as director of this research unit. This no doubt was inspired by the President of the CIW, Merriam Campbell, who as a physical anthropologist interested in holistic evolutionary interpretations of cultures. Steggerda's ethnographic based research in the community of Piste, three kilometers from Chichen Itza provides data ranging from the profundity of soils from his experimental garden, complete descriptions of all architecture in the community within a five year period (1933-1938), and meticulous anthropometry of the nearly 500 members of the community to useful social histories, complete census materials for the 1930s. Steggerda conducted eight years of research in Piste.
The corpus of his research materials formed the basis for an ethnographic research project in the 1990s directed by Quetzil Castaneda. The materials were curated in an interactive exhibition for the community to engage in the town hall over a three day period.
Academic work
Some of his work was done in collaboration with the eugenicist Charles DavenportCharles Davenport
Charles Benedict Davenport was a prominent American eugenicist and biologist. He was one of the leaders of the American eugenics movement, which was directly involved in the sterilization of around 60,000 "unfit" Americans and strongly influenced the Holocaust in Europe.- Biography :Davenport was...
, with whom he wrote the book Race Crossing in Jamaica, published in 1929.
Despite his clear racial and specifically eugenic approach to human diversity, Steggerda was a bit different in interpretive outlook than his Davenport. While Davenport converted the slightest bit of data or non-data into racial ideology, Steggerda was exceptionally circumspect. He was methodical and precise and did not make interpretations that exceeded the methods and data employed in his research. No doubt this is one aspect to the collaboration between Steggerda and Davenport: Steggerda did the methodical work and Davenport did the interpretive exegesis of racial "hybridization."
Books
- Steggerda, Morris. Physical development of negro-white hybrids in Jamaica, British West Indies. University of Illinois, 1928.
- Steggerda, Morris, and Charles Benedict Davenport. Race Crossing in Jamaica. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 395. 1929. OCLC 489049898
- Steggerda, Morris. Anthropometry of Adult Maya Indians: A Study of Their Physical and Physiological Characteristics. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 434. 1932.
- Steggerda, Morris. Maya Indians of Yucatán. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 531. 1941. OCLC 616357. Reprint, New York: AMS Pr. 1984. ISBN 9780404162832
Steggerda's complete list of publications was published in the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY Vol. 9 N.S., No. 1, March 1951.
He published several dozen articles in journals such as: Eugenical News, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, Journal of Comparative Psychology, American J. Physiology, Ecology, Poultry Science, Plant Physiology, American Dietitic, Science, Nature, and the Proc. American Academy of Arts and Sciences.