At the age of 24, while serving in the navy during World War II, Daniel J. Crowley contracted poliomyelitis, which resulted in spinal damage and left him with only limited use of his arms and legs and confined to a wheelchair. With the support of his family and the Veteran's Association, he pursued a Masters degree in Art History from Bradley University in Illinois followed by a doctorate in Anthropology from Northwestern University. Driven by his fascination for his chosen fields, he traveled to the Caribbean to conduct fieldwork where he met his wife, Pearl Ramcharan. In the following years, they traveled extensively together and had three children: Peter, Eve and Magdalene.
He joined the faculty of UC Davis in 1960, serving in both the Art History and Anthropology departments, specializing in the arts and culture of Africa and the Diaspora. He championed the recognition of African artists for their unique contributions and helmed many folklore projects including a number to study Carnaval and Mardi Gras celebrations throughout the world. Although he could only type with one finger, he was a prolific and passionate writer, producing over 350 reviews and articles, and several books. He was also a popular and inspirational teacher, receiving numerous awards and citations, and continued to teach at Davis well after his retirement. He was invited to share his talents internationally and accepted teaching posts in such diverse locations a Taiwan, Trinidad & Tobago, Brazil, India and Australia, as well as in campuses across the United States. He also launched the Education Abroad Program at the University of Ghana in Africa in 1969.
He participated in organizations from local to international levels to improve aid and opportunities for the disabled, and served on a number of committees to increase handicap access to buildings and facilities on the Davis campus. He also gave hundreds of talks and lectures on an astonishing variety of topics to many different groups within the Davis community. His generosity and compassion toward everyone he met has been widely acclaimed.
His greatest and most defining passion, however, was travel. He was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1978 as the "most traveled disabled person," a category which as since been discontinued. During his lifetime, he circumnavigated the globe nine times and visted every nation except Iraq. He admitted that his handicap fueled his desire to see the world and to enjoy all of the things that life could offer.
When he died in his sleep in Oruro, Bolivia in 1998 at the age of 76, he was leading a research expedition to study Carnaval there, active to the very last. He will always be remembered as an enthusiastic and entertaining educator and devoted father and husband, and for his inexhaustible strength, persistence and humor in overcoming many obstacles.