Palmquist, Peter E.

Peter Eric Palmquist (1931-2003) of Arcata, California, was a historian of photography who collected historical and contemporary photographs and research materials about photographers.

Women in Photography International is an educational nonprofit group founded in 1981 that serves women photographers, photographic educators, photography students, and gallery owners around the world. It promotes women photographers and their work through programs, exhibitions, juried competitions and publications.

A photographer, collector, and historian of photography, Peter Eric Palmquist was born on September 23, 1936, in Oakland, California. In 1944, he moved with his family to Ferndale, California, and spent the majority of his life in Humboldt County. Palmquist trained himself in photography as an adolescent, and served as a photographer in the United States Army, 1955-1959, attached to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Paris. He worked briefly as a photographer for the state government of California from 1959-1961. From 1961 until his retirement in 1989, Palmquist worked as a staff photographer for Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, where he also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art in 1965.

From 1971 until his death, Palmquist collected historical and contemporary photographs and information about photographers. He collected hundreds of thousands of photographic items documenting the practice and occupation of photography from its inception through the turn of the twenty-first century, with particular emphasis on early California photographers, photographers of the American West, and women photographers from around the world.

A self-trained researcher and historian of photography, Palmquist organized over a hundred exhibitions and wrote over three hundred articles and more than sixty monographs. He was a founding editor of The Daguerreian Annual ; president of the National Stereoscopic Association; and founder and curator of the Women in Photography International Archive.

Palmquist died January 13, 2003, in Oakland, from a severe head injury caused by a speeding car that struck him while he was in a crosswalk with his dog.

A photographer, collector, and historian of photography, Peter Eric Palmquist was born in Oakland, California on September 23, 1936. In 1944, he moved with his family to Ferndale, California, and he spent most of his life in Humboldt County. During adolescence, Palmquist trained himself in photography. He served in the United States Army as a photographer from 1955 to 1959, mainly with the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Paris, France. Palmquist worked briefly as a photographer for the state government of California from 1959-1961. From 1961 until his retirement in 1989, Palmquist worked as a staff photographer for Humboldt State University, Arcata, California, where he also graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art in 1965.

From 1971 until his death, Palmquist collected textual materials and hundreds of thousands of photographic items documenting the practice and occupation of photography from its beginning through the turn of the twenty-first century. He had particular interests in early California photographers, photographers of the American West, and women photographers.

A self-trained researcher and historian of photography, Palmquist organized more than a hundred exhibitions and wrote more than three hundred articles and a hundred monographs. He was a founding editor of The Daguerreian Annual ; president of the National Stereoscopic Association.

Palmquist died January 13, 2003, in Oakland.