Consumer Reports. Robert L. Smith papers, 1938-1978

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Summary

Creator:
Consumer Reports (Firm)
Abstract:
Consumer Reports is a product testing and consumer advocacy nonprofit organization based in Yonkers, N.Y., founded in 1936. Robert L. Smith was a consumer advocate who served as Assistant Director of Consumers Union from 1963-1971. The Robert L. Smith papers largely span Smith's tenure as Assistant Director of Consumers Union, along with files he inherited from predecessors and some materials filed under his name after Smith's death in 1971. The collection includes correspondence, meeting minutes, grant applications and other records, materials relating to state and regional consumer organizations, records of educational and social outreach programs, permissions to reprint Consumer Reports content, and other printed materials. In addition the collection includes records pertaining to a Consumers Union study performed for the U.S. Defense Department on consumer protections for military personnel. Correspondents include Colston Warne, Esther Peterson, Irving Michelson and Walter Sandbach. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
8.0 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.11861

Background

Scope and content:

The Robert L. Smith papers largely span Smith's tenure as Assistant Director of Consumers Union, along with files he inherited from predecessors and some materials filed under his name after Smith's death in 1971. The collection includes correspondence, meeting minutes, grant applications and other records, materials relating to state and regional consumer organizations, records of educational and social outreach programs, permissions to reprint Consumer Reports content, and other printed materials. In addition the collection includes records pertaining to a Consumers Union study performed for the U.S. Defense Department on consumer protections for military personnel. Correspondents include Colston Warne, Esther Peterson, Irving Michelson and Walter Sandbach.

Biographical / historical:

Consumer Reports is a product testing and consumer advocacy nonprofit organization based in Yonkers, N.Y., founded in 1936. Robert L. Smith was a consumer advocate who served as Assistant Director of Consumers Union from 1963-1971. Smith was born in 1912. He graduated from Amherst College (BA, Economics, 1934) and served with a number of consumer cooperative associations: Eastern Cooperatives (1934-1948); Cooperative Consumers of New Haven (1948-1952); Palo Alto Consumers Cooperative Society (1952-1963). Smith joined Consumers Union as Assistant Director in 1963 and served until his death in 1971.

Acquisition information:
The Consumer Reports. Robert L. Smith papers were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a gift in 2019.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, Sept. 2020;

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2019-0130.

Arrangement:

Organized into the following series: Administrative and Office Files; Department of Defense Study Materials

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

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Subjects:
Consumer education
Consumer advocacy
consumer protection
Names:
United States. Department of Defense
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History
Smith, Robert L.

Contents

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Using These Materials


Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Consumer Reports. Robert L. Smith papers, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.