De Laguna, Frederica

Frederica de Laguna (1906-2004)was born in Ann Arbor, MI in 1906. Both her parents taught phisosophy at Bryn Mawr College from the time that she was an infant. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science and economics from Bryn Mawr College in 1927. Her first memoir was "Voyage to Greenland," about her first anthropology field work, published in 1929. She earned a doctorate in anthropology from Columbia University in 1933. Her first job was field director for the University Museum at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1938 she began teaching anthropology at Bryn Mawr College, a position she held until retiring in 1975. During World War II, de Laguna took a break from her academic career to serve as a lieutenant commanded in the Navy Waves. She led many expeditions to Alaska to study the cultures of Eskimos and Native Americans. She assisted Dr. Therkel Mathiassen on the first scientific survey of sites in Danish West Greenland. Her major work began in 1949 with trips to study the Tlingit Indians, resulting in the comprehensive study of their culture titled "Under Mount St. Elias," published in 1972. She also wrote two mystery novels. In retirement, she continued to write and lecture at several major universities.

From the guide to the Frederica de Laguna papers, 1922-1975, (Bryn Mawr College)