In Memoriam: Thomas C. Blackburn
Professor Emeritus Thomas C. Blackburn, an author and scholar whose research focused on the indigenous Chumash tribe of the central and southern coastal regions of California, died July 15. He was 87.
Blackburn was an anthropology professor in the Department of Geography and Anthropology from 1965 to 1999. He was the author, coauthor and editor of several books on California Native Americans, including “December’s Child: A book of Chumash Oral Narratives,” the five-volume “Material Culture of the Chumash Interaction Sphere,” and “Before the Wilderness: Environmental Management by Native Californians.”
His passion for his research and interest in the Chumash tribe took him to more than 140 museums throughout the U.S. Europe and Russia. Blackburn began his career as an archeologist, but later shifted his focus to ethno-history, becoming one of California’s key scholars on the subject.
The Claremont resident is survived by his wife of 68 years, Joyce, their daughter Lisa and son-in-law Larry; son, Bob; and grandson, Brandon.
Read his full obituary on the Claremont Courier website.