James Preston Delgado | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Delgado delivering a lecture in 2015 | |
| Born | James Preston Delgado (1958-01-11)January 11, 1958 (age 68) San Jose, California, U.S. |
| Occupations | Maritime archaeologist, explorer, author, TV host, historian |
| Spouse | Ann Goodhart |
| Awards |
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| Scientific career | |
| Known for | His work on underwater exploration and shipwreck investigations |
| Academic background | |
| Education |
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| Alma mater | Simon Fraser University |
| Influences | Theodore "Ted" C. Hinckley, Constance B. "Connie" Perham, Edwin C. Bearss |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Archaeology, history, journalism |
| Sub-discipline | Maritime archaeology, maritime history, underwater research |
| Main interests | Maritime archaeology, shipwreck investigations, and the preservation and documentation of maritime heritage |
| Website | jamesdelgado |
James Preston DelgadoFRGS,FRCGS (born January 11, 1958) is an Americanmaritime archaeologist, historian, and author. He has participated in shipwreck investigations worldwide, including theUSS Independence (CVL-22),USS Monitor,USS Arizona (BB-39),USS Nevada (BB-36), and the slave shipClotilda.[1]
Delgado has worked at theU.S. National Park Service and theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) maritime heritage programs. He is an Officer inSpain's Order of Civil Merit.
Delgado was born on January 11, 1958, inSan Jose, California. He grew up inBlossom Valley and at the age of ten, Delgado was influenced by lessons onancient Egypt,Greece, andRome from his teachers. During high school, Delgado worked alongside Bay Area archaeologists Chester King, Linda King, and Rob Edwards. He also interacted with graduate students from an archaeology class at San Jose State University. As an undergraduate at San Jose State, and influenced by Theodore "Ted" C. Hinckley, he studied history and later transferred to San Francisco State University as a cooperative education student with the National Park Service. He graduated with a B.A. in American history in 1981.[2]
By fourteen, Delgado's curiosity led him to a construction site near his home in theSanta Teresa Hills, where the remains of theOhlone people were discovered. This site, which later became theRancho de Santa Teresa, was being destroyed despite the presence of archaeologists. Delgado, initially volunteering alone, began mapping, photographing, and recovering artifacts from the site,[3] continuing his efforts through high school. He later assisted in an excavation in 1980. The experience had a significant impact on Delgado, leading him to prepare the nomination papers for the site, which was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places in 1975 assite #75002184. His research notes and materials are archived in theSan Jose Public Library, documenting his early explorations of the nearby foothills.[4]
In 1972, Delgado met with San Jose MayorNorman Y. Mineta to advocate for changes in laws to protect archaeological sites. Mineta appointed him the San Jose Youth Commission's Liaison to the city's Historical Landmarks Commission. After serving for three years, MayorJanet Gray Hayes appointed Delgado as a commissioner in 1976. He also served on theSan Jose Bicentennial Commission and participated in the first inventory of historical and architectural heritage in 1977 and the Santa Clara County Heritage Inventory.[2]
While at theVancouver Maritime Museum, Delgado returned to university to obtain his Ph.D. in archaeology, receiving the degree in 2006 fromSimon Fraser University.[citation needed]
Delgado's early work notably included documenting shipwreck remains and the surrounding environmental conditions exposed bybeach erosion. He was a pioneer in this area of archaeology in the United States, starting with the wrecks of the schooner Neptune and those within theGolden Gate National Recreation Area.[5]
While working for theNational Park Service (NPS) as the first Park Historian forGolden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) serving from 1979 to 1986, Delgado co-directed the archaeological excavation of Civil War Black Point battery atFort Mason with Martin T. Mayer.[6]
In 1987, Delgado became the first Maritime Historian of the National Park Service and the founding chief of the NPS maritime preservation program, the National Maritime Initiative (NMI).[7] The NMI at that time functioned as the maritime preservation program for the entire federal government. The Initiative later became known as the NPS Maritime Heritage Program In this role,[8] Delgado oversaw the creation of classification standards and guidelines for preservation and documentation. Delgado was the principal author of the National Register of Historic Places' guidelines[9] for nominating historic ships and shipwrecks and co-authored the National Register Bulletin for nominating historic aids to navigation.[10]
Working from the inventory, Delgado applied the criterion of the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic Landmarks Program to determine which of some 330 large historic vessels were of national significance. Delgado's work led to the nominations of the schoonerAdventuress[11] and the schooner American Eagle.[12]
As part of his duties, and with his degree in maritime archaeology, Delgado closely interacted with the National Park Service's Submerged Cultural Resources Center as well as the Chief Archaeologist of the NPS during his tenure with the National Maritime Initiative. This included co-authoring the guidelines for the implementation of theAbandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 following a series of national public meetings.[13]
Delgado also joined the Submerged Cultural Resources Unit (SCRU); one of his final assignments was co-authoring the first submerged cultural resources assessment for the region where he first worked, theGolden Gate National Recreation Area,Point Reyes National Seashore, and theGulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.[14]
After a one-year sabbatical from the NPS, from 1984 to 1985, to attendEast Carolina University, Delgado graduated with a master's degree in Maritime History and Underwater Research. His thesis focused on the Gold Rush steamer Tennessee, located inTennessee Cove within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. He was subsequently assigned by NPS Chief HistorianEdwin C. Bearss to work as a project historian on theUSS Monitor project with theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). That work led to a series of historical and archaeological context studies, and Delgado personally completed the successful nomination for Monitor's designation as one of the first National Historic Landmark shipwrecks in the United States. He subsequently completed the National Historic Landmark studies for the wrecks of USS Arizona[15] and USS Utah at Pearl Harbor.[16] As of 2018, there are only nineNational Historic Landmark shipwrecks or hulks that have been designated by theSecretary of the Interior.[17]
In October 2010, he left INA to become the Director of Maritime Heritage in the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D.C.[18]
Following his doctoral graduation in 2006, he was named and remains an Adjunct Member of the Faculty of the Department of Archaeology atSimon Fraser University. From 2001 to 2006, he hosted and was the team archaeologist on, the popular Canadian-made National Geographic international documentary series.[19]
Delgado worked closely with NOAA's Office of Ocean Exploration in the telepresence-enabled archaeological reconnaissance of the wreck of theSSCoast Trader.[20]
In 2017, Delgado retired from public service and became the Senior Vice President of SEARCH, Inc., an American cultural resources and archaeological firm.[21][22]
Delgado has appeared in documentary films since the 1990s to promote archaeology and history.[23][24][25]
Delgado has appeared as a guest speaker at the TED-inspired EG series in Monterey,[26] and at IdeaCity in Toronto.[27]
Delgado is married to his wife Ann.[2]
Delgado is an officer in the SpanishOrder of Civil Merit.[28]
James Preston (Jim) Delgado was born on January 11, 1958 in San Jose, California, USA. He showed an early interest in history and archaeology and at age 14 joined his first dig when he noticed human remains at a construction site. The graduate students from an archaeology class from San Jose State took Delgado under their wing; most of the finds were turned over to the university except the human remains Delgado had found, which were repatriated to their descendents and reburied. Delgado met with the mayor of San Jose to voice his concerns regarding the desecration of the past and was appointed, at age 14, to the City of San Jose Historic Landmarks Commission. Throughout high school Delgado joined local archaeologists in exploring sites and also worked as a guide at the New Almaden (mining) Museum.
State University and PG&E, PG&E revoked permission, which was never renewed, during the summer of 1972 (Delgado 1980). By Fall, three San Jose State University students (William Cecil, David Wallace, and Susan Grant) and one high school student (James Delgado) who had worked on the earlier excavations, continued working on Trench 3 under the direction of Instructor John White, without PG&E approval (Delgado 1980). White ordered that the work be abandoned in early 1973, though White occasionally still visited the site to collect surface finds (Delgado 1980).
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