author
S. A. (Samuel Alfred) Barrett
1879–1965
An early American anthropologist and linguist, this writer helped document Native communities in California and beyond at a formative moment in the field. His work combines close observation, language study, and a strong interest in material culture and oral tradition.
2 Audiobooks
Pomo Bear Doctors
by S. A. (Samuel Alfred) Barrett
Ceremonies of the Pomo Indians
by S. A. (Samuel Alfred) Barrett
About the author
Born in 1879, Samuel Alfred Barrett became an important early anthropologist and linguist whose research focused on Native American peoples, especially in California. He studied at the University of California, Berkeley, where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees and then completed a doctorate in anthropology, phonetics, and ethno-geography.
Barrett is especially associated with fieldwork among groups including the Pomo and with studies of language, geography, mythology, and traditional life. He also had a long connection to the Milwaukee Public Museum, where he served as curator of anthropology and later as director, helping shape the museum's collections and research programs.
He died in 1965. Today, he is remembered both for his published ethnographic work and for the large body of papers and museum collections that preserve the record of his career.