David Hurst Thomas ( - ) is an American academic, author and curator of anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History. A California native, he received both his undergraduate and doctoral degrees from University of California, Davis. He is well known for both his archeological work on Native American sites and the Franciscan mission on St. Catherines Island off the coast of Georgia. He was elected to the National Academy of Science in 1989. Plato is credited with the inception of academia: the body of knowledge, its development and transmission across generations. ... The word author has several meanings: The author of a book, story, article or the like, is the person who has written it (or is writing it). ... A curator of a cultural heritage institution (e. ... Anthropology (from the Greek word άνθρωπος, human) consists of the study of humankind (see genus Homo). ... The American Museum of Natural History is a landmark of Manhattans Upper West Side in New York, at 79th Street and Central Park West. ... State nickname: The Golden State Other U.S. States Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) Official languages English Area 410,000 km² (3rd)  - Land 404,298 km²  - Water 20,047 km² (4. ... The University of California, Davis, popularly known as UC Davis, is one of the ten University of California campuses. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... The Order of Friars Minor and other Franciscan movements are disciples of Saint Francis of Assisi. ... A mission literally means something that is sent, from the Latin word missum, sent. Thus we may refer to space exploration expeditions as space missions, or to a diplomatic outpost in a foreign territory as a diplomatic mission. Christian missions are movements or outposts of Christian proselytism. ... St. ... President Harding and the National Academy of Sciences at the White House, Washington, DC, April 1921 The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

His published works include:

• Exploring Ancient Native America: An Archaeological Guide
• Skull Wars: Kennewick Man, Archaeology, and the Battle for Native American Identity
• Native North America