physical anthropology

The idea that modern humans, and particularly white humans, were the pinnacle of evolution came from a time of “colonialism and elitism,” said Janet Young, curator of physical anthropology at the Canadian Museum of History.

By then, Monge had two roles, one as associate curator in charge, overseeing the museum’s physical anthropology section, and another as an adjunct associate professor in the school’s anthropology department.

Despite those critiques, Morton’s approach helped lay the foundation for the burgeoning field of physical anthropology.

Morton, a successful doctor who was an active member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, has sometimes been called the founder of American physical anthropology.

He was born in 1911, and his decision to study medicine, human genetics and physical anthropology in the 1930s was largely in tune with the scientific mood of the times.