Profiles in Science for Science Librarians: Clyde Snow: Forensic Anthropologist, Social Justice Advocate, and Super Sleuth

Abstract

Clyde Snow became the father of modern-day forensic anthropology during a 50-year career identifying the skeletonized victims of U.S. air crashes and mass murders around the world. His cases included the victims of serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the identification of Nazi war criminal Dr. Josef Mengele, and the investigation of the 1979 American Airlines crash in Chicago. He founded and trained forensic anthropology teams that led to international human rights investigations into genocide, war crimes, and massacres in Argentina, Chile, and many other countries. His research appears in scholarly journals, book chapters, scientific conference papers, and government reports.

KEYWORDS:

• forensic anthropology
• forensic anthropologists
• human rights
• social justice