1886-1966

American explorer, photographer, and writer who began her career as a history instructor before being commissioned by the Canadian government to study Eskimos and Indian tribes. After exploring the Canadian Northwest, she married Carl Ethan Akeley (1864-1926) in 1924 and made her first trip to Africa with him that same year to study gorillas in the Belgian Congo. Mary Akeley's photos and writings detailed the importance of preserving Africa's native cultures, wild animals, and landscapes and led to her becoming a crusader for game preserves.