George Amos Dorsey was an American ethnographer and anthropologist who made significant contributions to the study of the indigenous peoples of North America, particularly the Caddoan and Siouan tribes of the Great Plains. Serving as a curator at the Field Museum in Chicago from 1898 to 1915, Dorsey played a pivotal role in developing the anthropology of Plains Indian tribes. During this tenure, he also shared his expertise as a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chicago from 1907 to 1915.
Beyond his academic and curatorial work, Dorsey achieved public recognition in 1897 as one of the first anthropologists to serve as an expert forensic witness, testifying in the high-profile Chicago murder trial of Adolph Luetgert after identifying human remains.
Dorsey was also a successful author. His 1925 cultural study, Why We Behave Like Human Beings, became an unexpected bestseller, which prompted the reissue of his 1917 novel and allowed him to publish several subsequent books on anthropology and culture. He continued writing until his death in 1931, leaving behind a manuscript that was published posthumously.
