John Middleton, professor emeritus of Anthropology and Religious Studies, died Friday at Yale New-Haven Hospital. He was 87. Middleton, a leading scholar on African anthropology, authored seminal works on the Lugbara tribe of northwest Uganda and on Swahili culture. Middleton played a key role in the creation of the University’s Council on African Studies in the 1980s. Middleton’s death resulted from head trauma suffered after he had a seizure and fell from bed two weeks ago. He is survived by a wife and daughter. A memorial service is planned for Wednesday at his Guilford, Conn. home.

He is survived by a wife and daughter.