Name some of the early American anthropologists.

Several early American anthropologists made significant contributions to the development of anthropology as an academic discipline in the United States. Here are some of them:

1. Franz Boas (1858-1942): Franz Boas is often regarded as the "father of American anthropology." He played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of anthropology in the United States and established it as a rigorous academic discipline grounded in empirical research and cultural relativism. Boas emphasized the importance of fieldwork, participant observation, and the study of cultures in their particular historical and environmental contexts. His students, known as the Boasians, went on to become influential figures in anthropology.

2. Ruth Benedict (1887-1948): Ruth Benedict was a prominent cultural anthropologist known for her studies of culture and personality. She conducted fieldwork among Indigenous peoples in the United States and Pacific islands and explored the relationship between culture, personality, and social structure. Benedict's book "Patterns of Culture" (1934) introduced the concept of cultural configurations and highlighted the diversity of human cultural practices.

3. Margaret Mead (1901-1978): Margaret Mead was a pioneering cultural anthropologist known for her studies of gender and sexuality in non-Western cultures. She conducted fieldwork in Samoa, Papua New Guinea, and other Pacific islands, challenging conventional Western assumptions about gender roles and sexual behavior. Mead's work, including her bestselling book "Coming of Age in Samoa" (1928), influenced public perceptions of culture and human nature.

4. Edward Sapir (1884-1939): Edward Sapir was a linguist and anthropologist known for his contributions to the study of language and culture. He conducted fieldwork among Indigenous peoples in North America and documented numerous Native American languages. Sapir's work on language classification, linguistic relativity, and the relationship between language and thought influenced the development of linguistic anthropology and cognitive anthropology.

5. Alfred Kroeber (1876-1960): Alfred Kroeber was a cultural anthropologist known for his studies of Native American cultures in California and the American Southwest. He conducted extensive fieldwork among Indigenous peoples, documenting their languages, kinship systems, material culture, and social organization. Kroeber's work laid the foundation for ethnographic research in North America and contributed to the preservation of Indigenous cultural heritage.

These early American anthropologists, along with others, played instrumental roles in establishing anthropology as a distinct academic discipline in the United States and shaping its theoretical frameworks, methodological approaches, and research agendas. Their contributions continue to influence anthropological inquiry and practice to this day.