Photo: Smithsonian Institution from United States / No restrictions (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Margaret Mead intrigues me less as a flawless scientist than as a public intellectual who refused to stay in the academy. Coming of Age in Samoa made her a household name in 1928, and she spent decades translating complex anthropology for ordinary audiences through mass media. Later scholars have debated her Samoan fieldwork, and I think that controversy is part of what keeps her relevant: she dared to make sweeping cultural claims and provoke argument. The Presidential Medal of Freedom and Hall of Fame honors recognize her reach. For me she remains a model of the scholar who insists that ideas belong to everyone.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Margaret Mead
- Name (Japanese)
- マーガレット・ミード
- Reading
- まーがれっと・みーど
- Born
- December 16, 1901 – November 15, 1978
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Ox
- Origin
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- anthropologist / author / film director / curator / poet
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Barnard College
Awards & achievements
- 1979 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- 1970 Kalinga Prize
- 1969 William Procter Prize for Scientific Achievement
- 1976 National Women's Hall of Fame
- Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
- 1978 honorary doctor of the University of Miami
- 1942 Gold Medal of the Society of Woman Geographers
- 1954 Kurt Lewin Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Coming of Age in Samoa | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Margaret Mead born?
December 16, 1901 – November 15, 1978.
Where is Margaret Mead from?
Margaret Mead is from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
What does Margaret Mead do?
Margaret Mead works as anthropologist, author, film director, curator, poet.
What is Margaret Mead known for?
Notable works include Coming of Age in Samoa.
Anthropologist — see all → · Author — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.