author
Robert W. (Robert Wilson) Shufeldt
1850–1934
A 19th-century Army surgeon turned prolific naturalist, he wrote widely on bird anatomy, museum work, and anthropology. His career also carried a troubling side: alongside his scientific output, he published openly racist and white supremacist views.
1 Audiobook
Indian types of beauty
by Robert W. (Robert Wilson) Shufeldt
About the author
Born in New York City in 1850, Robert Wilson Shufeldt Jr. trained as a physician and served as a surgeon in the United States Army. Over time he built a reputation as an osteologist, myologist, museologist, and ethnographer, and became especially known for comparative studies of bird anatomy.
Shufeldt was a remarkably prolific writer. His work ranged across ornithology, zoology, museum practice, and forensic subjects, and his name appears on a large body of scientific and popular writing from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He died in Washington, D.C., in 1934.
Any modern account of his life also needs to note the darker part of his legacy. In addition to his scientific work, he promoted racist ideas and white supremacist beliefs in print, which shapes how his career is understood today.