Bernard G. Hoffman earned a B.A. in 1946 from The University of Montana-Missoula and a Ph.D. in 1955 from the University of California at Berkeley. While he was a graduate student, Hoffman returned to Montana to join the archeological survey of the Canyon Ferry dam site under the supervision of Professor Carling Malouf. In 1955-1956, Hoffman was a research analyst with the United States Department of Justice Indian Claims Section; 1957-1958, research associate of the American University Foreign Area Study Division; 1958-1964, research analyst for the National Science Foundation Foreign Service Information Program; and 1964-1965, head of the National Science Foundation's Course Content Improvement Program. In 1965, he joined the faculty of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Maryland at College Park. His specialty was eastern American Indians from Appalachia to eastern Canada.
Hoffman published three books:
In 1988 he retired to Chantilly, Virginia.
The Bernard G. Hoffman papers include a folder of "The University of Montana Eclipse Party" near Saco, Montana, in 1945. The report includes a handwritten description of the preparations, the participants, specific data about the eclipse including the "falling shadow" phenomenon, drawings, maps, photographs, and reports from other observers.
The "Archeology of the Canyon Ferry Dam Site field trip in Montana" in 1950 includes a handwritten daily journal of the fieldwork from June 12 to July 31, 1950, with photos, drawings of the items found, and hand drawn maps. The journal is bound together with Carling I. Malouf's 1950 report entitled
Also included is a student-authored field trip orientation packet focused on the northwestern area of Montana
The materials were organized in chronological order.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes.
[Name of document or photograph number], Bernard G. Hoffman Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
The papers were held by the creator until donated.
Donated to the Archives by Bernard G. Hoffman in June 1988.
The bulk of Bernard G. Hoffman's papers are National Anthropological Archives of the Smithsonian Institution and at George Mason University Libraries.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search the catalog using these headings.