Fonds F0087 - Howard Palmer fonds.

Dr. Howard Delbert Palmer (1946-1991) was born to Asael Delbert Palmer and Mable Johansen in Lethbridge, Alberta on December 17, 1946. He was the grandson of Asael Exile Palmer of Lethbridge, the first director of the Lethbridge Experimental Farm (later the Government of Canada Agricultural Research Station). Asael Exile was a Mormon who, as a child, was forced to flee the United States for Canada with his family after his father was persected by the American government for having several wives. Asael Exile apparently had a formative influence on Howard and his interest in history.

Howard Palmer was granted his BA in History from Brigham Young University, Utah in 1968, his MA in History from the University of Alberta in 1971, and his PhD in History from York University in 1973. He was employed by the Department of the Secretary of State for the Government of Canada as the Research Director of the Multicultural Program from September 1971 to July 1973. Palmer then worked at the University of Calgary as a member of the academic staff from July 1973 until shortly before his death.

Dr. Palmer was fluent in English and Spanish with reading abilities in French. Palmer's main area of research appears to have been multiculturalism and immigration. He was a prolific writer with one of his major works being "Alberta: a new history" which he wrote with his wife Tamara Palmer. Dr. Palmer died on March 15, 1991. The Howard Palmer Memorial Scholarship was instituted for students in the Department of History at the University of Calgary with concentration in Western Canadian History or Western Canadian Studies. The Canadian Ethnic Studies Association (CESA) instituted the Howard Palmer Scholarship Award in 2003 for graduate students who are members of CESA.