Frank Hamilton Cushing (1857–1900) was an influential American anthropologist and ethnologist whose innovative methods profoundly shaped the development of modern anthropology. Born in Pennsylvania, Cushing developed an early interest in Native American artifacts and culture, which eventually led him to a career with the Smithsonian Institution's Bureau of Ethnology.\n\nCushing is best remembered for his pioneering work with the Zuni people of New Mexico. Beginning in 1879, he lived among the Zuni for four and a half years, adopting their dress, learning their language, and eventually being initiated into their sacred society, the Bow Priesthood. This immersive approach helped establish "participant observation" as a foundational research strategy in ethnography, shifting the discipline away from "armchair" analysis toward active, experiential fieldwork.\n\nWhile Cushing's immersive methodology was groundbreaking, his legacy has become a subject of modern debate. In recent years, scholars have raised critical questions regarding the ethics of his activities among the Zuni, particularly concerning the collection of sacred cultural objects and the boundaries of ethnographic research. Despite these controversies, his detailed writings and collections remain crucial, if complex, resources for understanding late 19th-century anthropological practices and Zuni history.
