David J. Weber

David Joseph Weber (December 20, 1940 – August 20, 2010) was an American historian whose research focused on the history of the Southwestern U.S. and its transition from Spanish and Mexican control to becoming part of the United States. For a period of time, this field of study had largely been ignored, as both United States and Latin American historians concentrated on the central stories in their fields. He "was among the first scholars to focus on the importance of the relationship between Mexico and the United States." He was born on December 20, 1940, in Buffalo, New York and raised in nearby Cheektowaga.

Weber knew he wanted to pursue a master's degree in either history or English. His professor Marvin D. Bernstein suggested that he consider pursuing a master's and doctorate in Latin American history. The dissertation topic was suggested by his mentor, Donald Cutter, who specialized in history of the Spanish borderlands. By the time he completed his doctorate, Weber had already edited two works for publication and had three articles published in historical journals. Shortly after his graduation, the couple's second child, Amy, was born. In 1973, he was promoted to full professor at San Diego State. Unhappy with his teaching load, Weber began looking for other opportunities. In 1986, Weber relinquished his duties as department chair.

Among the more than 20 books he authored on the subject, his books The Mexican Frontier, 1821-1846: The American Southwest Under Mexico (1982), Barbáros: Spaniards and their Savages in the Age of Enlightenment (2008), and The Spanish Frontier in North America (1992), documented and explored elements about the Spanish conquest, Indios Bárbaros, and its effects on Native Americans. Weber also explored the growth of the English-speaking population (generally migrants from the United States) in areas that would later become parts of the United States. The book was reprinted in Spanish and published in Mexico and Spain. As of 2013, it was still in print. Weber died due to complications of multiple myeloma, aged 69, on August 20, 2010, in Gallup, New Mexico. He was survived by his wife, a daughter, a son and three grandchildren. His final book, Barbaros won the John E. Fagg Prize in 2006 from the American Historical Association.

William J. Cronon of the University of Wisconsin, Madison called him "probably the single most important scholar of Spanish borderland history in North America in the second half of the 20th century", saying that "There is no one to compare with him in terms of original scholarship or sweeping synthesis."