Anthropology As a Science and as a Branch of University Education in the United States

A compact yet persuasive essay, this work advances a clear call for anthropology to claim its own place within American universities. Written in the early 1890s, the author addresses university leaders and benefactors, urging them to create dedicated chairs, laboratories, museums and fellowships so the discipline can develop independently rather than as a footnote to philosophy.

The text defines anthropology as the systematic study of humanity—its physical powers, mental processes, and cultural expressions—grounded in careful observation and the inductive methods of the natural sciences. By framing the field as the “crown and completion” of other inquiries, the author argues that it offers crucial insight for law, education, medicine, ethics, language, and the arts, providing a factual basis for shaping social and political institutions.

Finally, the essay traces the rapid emergence of anthropological societies worldwide, from Paris to Berlin, underscoring a growing consensus that understanding human variation is essential to progress. It invites forward‑thinking citizens to support the establishment of a full‑scale university department, positioning anthropology as a cornerstone of modern scholarship.