Louis Leakey

1903- 1972

Anthropologist

One of the century's most celebrated anthropologists, Louis Leakey was born in Kenya, the son of missionaries. He was known for his discovery of primate fossils in East Africa, contributing to the modern take on human evolution.

Together with his wife, Mary, Leakey demonstrated an unusual talent for unearthing important discoveries. It was with his interpretations that Leakey sometimes went afoul of the anthropologic/archaeologic scholarly community, creating significant controversy throughout his career.

.