Margaret Mead Essay, Research Paper

Margaret Mead was a great

scientist, explorer, writer, and teacher, who educated the

human race in many different ways. In the next few

paragraphs I will discuss the different ways Margaret

Mead, Anthropologist, effected our society. Margaret

Mead was born in Philadelphia on December 16, 1901,

and was educated at Barnard College and at Columbia

University. In 1926 she became assistant curator of

ethnology at the American Museum of Natural History in

New York City, and she served as associate curator and

as curator. She was director of research in contemporary

cultures at Columbia University from 1948 to 1950 and

professor of anthropology there after 1954. Participating in

several field expeditions, Mead conducted notable research

in New Guinea, Samoa, and Bali. Much of her work was

devoted to a study of patterns of child rearing in various

cultures. She also analyzed many problems in

contemporary American society, particularly those affecting

young people. Her interests were varied, including

childcare, adolescence, sexual behavior, and American

character and culture. Margaret Mead taught generations

of Americans about looking carefully and openly at other

cultures to understand the complexities of being human.

Margaret Mead brought the serious work of anthropology

to public consciousness. Mead studied at Barnard College,

where she met the great anthropologist Franz Boas. Franz

Boas became her mentor and her advisor when she

attended graduate school at Columbia University. Mead’s

work is largely responsible for the treasures on view in the

Museum’s Hall of Pacific Peoples. In addition to her work

at the Museum, Margaret Mead taught, and wrote more

best selling books. She contributed a regular column to

Redbook magazine. She was also lectured, and was

frequently interviewed on radio and television. A deeply

committed activist, Mead often testified on social issues

before the United States Congress and other Government

agencies. Mead died in New York City on November 15,

1978. Mead Margaret was an American anthropologist,

widely known for her studies of primitive societies and her

contributions to social anthropology. She will be

remembered everywhere by anthropologist all over the

world.