Consumer Reports Archives Exhibitions

Materials appearing in the exhibit Test, Inform, Protect: The Consumer Reports archives at Duke University

History case

Colston E. Warne, 1979. Photograph. Consumer Reports, Iconographic materials. Box PH8, folder “Colston Warne.”

Jennie White, 1961. Photograph. Consumer Reports, Iconographic materials. Box PH4 folder “White, Mrs. Jennie.”

Workers as Consumers, 1936. Printed brochure. Consumer Reports. Advocacy records. Box 4, folder “Workers as consumers.” 

“A New Consumers’ Organization,” 1936. Printed flyer. Consumer Reports. Institutional records. Box 40, folder “Direct marketing.”

Auto test facility, Hamden, Conn., 1969. Photograph. Consumer Reports, Iconographic materials. Box PH1, folder “Auto test division 1.”

Consumers Union Education Center, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 1960. Photograph. Consumer Reports, Iconographic materials. Box PH2, folder “Mount Vernon.”

Advocacy case

Economic Impact of Proposed Lawn Mower Safety Standards, 1975. Consumer Reports. Monte Florman papers. Box 3, folder “Economic Impact of Proposed Lawn Mower Safety Standards.”

Worst First: High-Risk Insecticides, Children's Foods & Safer Alternatives, 1988. Consumer Reports. Advocacy records. Box 4, folder “Worst First.”

Troutt, David Dante. The Thin Red Line: How the Poor Still Pay More, 1993. Consumer Reports. Advocacy records. Box 4, folder “Thin Red Line.”

Financial Information Bank for Refugees and Immigrants: Eastern Armenian, 1990. Consumer Reports. Advocacy records. Box 1, folder “Financial Information Bank for Refugees and Immigrants: Eastern Armenian.”

"Special Focus: Lead." Advance Notice, Sept-Jan 1982. Consumer Reports. Advocacy records. Box 19, folder “Advance Notice.” 

Snyder, Harry. Getting Action: How to Petition Government and Get Results. San Francisco: Consumers Union, 2002. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

International case

Råd och Rön [Advice and Insights] (Sweden), 1968. Consumer Reports. International consumer periodicals collection. Box 124, folder “Råd och Rön.”

Consumer 108 (New Zealand), 1974. Consumer Reports. International consumer periodicals collection. Box 106, folder “Consumer.”

American Friends Service Committee. The Global Factory, 1990. Consumer Reports, Esther Peterson papers. Box 17, folder “American Friends Service Committee.”

IOCU. Consumers in Africa: A growing voice, 1988. Consumer Reports, Esther Peterson papers. Box 17, folder “IOCU: Consumers in Africa.”

IOCU. Consumer Interpol, 1982. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

IOCU: Giving a voice to the world's consumers, 1984. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Atut [Asset] (Poland), Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Consumers International. A spoonful of sugar, 1996. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1. 

Which? (Great Britain), June 1990. Consumer Reports. International consumer periodicals collection. Box 69, folder “Which 1990.” 

Esther Peterson. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH3, folder “9a. Consumer activists.”

IOCU meeting, Madrid, 1987. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH5, folder “Executive Directors/Rhoda.”

IOCU delegation to the Consumers Union 50th anniversary event, 1986. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH5, folder “Executive Directors/Rhoda.”

IOCU meeting, Korea, 1969. Photographic reproduction. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH5, folder “Executive Directors/Colston.” 

Persia Campbell receiving the key to the city of San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1956. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH5, folder “Persia Campbell: NYS (Puerto Rico).”

NGO briefing, World Congress 7, Stockholm, 1972. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH4, folder “Persia Campbell: International conferences.”

IOCU meeting, Vienna. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials, 1970. Box PH4, folder “Persia Campbell: International conferences.”

Poster created for Consumers Union visit to consumer groups in Japan, 1971. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH4, folder “Japan.”

Testing case

Summary of Test on Lipstick, 1957. Consumer Reports. Technical Department Records. Box 58, folder “Lipstick.” 

Lipstick Project Data Books 2/25/57, 9/24/56 and 11/14/57. Consumer Reports. Technical Department Records. Box 58, folder “Lipstick.” 

Car Seat Restraint Test, 1972. Photograph. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PD12, folder “Accessories/Child restraints.”

Set-up for dynamic child seat test diagram, 1973. Consumer Reports. Technical Department Records. Box 23, folder “Car seats.”

Set-up for dynamic child seat test, 1970s. Consumer Reports. Technical Department records. Box 23, folder “Car seats.”

Proposed rating tables for child restraints, 1970s. Consumer Reports. Technical Department records. Box 25, folder “Child seats.”

Consumer Reports Drag Strip. Photographic reproduction. Consumer Reports, Iconographic materials. Box PH8, folder "Auto test facility 1996."

Consumer Reports test track. Photographic reproduction. Consumer Reports. Iconographic materials. Box PH11, folder “Auto test track.”

Publishing case

Consumers Union Reports. Vol. 1. no. 1, May 1936. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Consumer Reports Buying Guide Issue, December 1937. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Consumer Reports Buying Guide Issue, December 1989, v.54-55(1989-1990) - December 1989, vol.54 no.12. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Penny Power: Introducing the Super Defender of Consumer Rights! Vol. 1, No. 2. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Zillions: Consumer Reports for Kids, August/September 1990. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1.

Vincent Tilsen, Jr. review of Sony Playstation 2, Nintendo Game Cube, and Microsoft X-Box, 2000-2001. Consumer Reports. Education Services Division records. Box 49, folder “Zillions, product testing—X Box."

Heiderstadt, Donna, and the Editors of Consumer Reports, Consumer Reports Home Computer Buying Guide, 1998. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Brecher, Edward, and the Editors of Consumer Reports, Licit and Illicit Drugs: The Consumers Union Report on Narcotics, Stimulants, Depressants, Inhalants, Hallucinogens – Including Caffeine, Nicotine, and Alcohol, 1972. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Controversies case

Farrar, Larston D., folder “Consumers Union: A Red Front,” The Freeman, 28 July 1952, Consumer Reports. Arthur Kallet papers. Box 11, folder “Unamerican activities: Reports and hearings.”

Affidavit submitted to the House Committee on Un-American Activities, 18 April 1938. Consumer Reports. Colston E. Warne papers. Box 99, folder “Criticisms—Subversive charges.”

Consumers Union of U.S. Inc., A Report on Contraceptive Material, February 1950. Hartman Center exhibit materials. Box 1. 

Sample waiver to receive a copy of the contraceptive materials pamphlet through the US Postal Service, 1950s. Consumer Reports. Consumer Reports Books records. Box 2, folder “Correspondence, family planning.”

Linwood M. Erskine, Jr. letter to Consumers Union, 17 October 1949, Consumer Reports. Paul Kern papers. Box 2. “Legal: Frank Walker, Postmaster General, Re: Contraceptive booklet.” 

Guttmacher, Alan F., M.D., and the Editors of Consumer Reports, Consumers Union Report on Family Planning, Mount Vernon, N.Y.,1962. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

“Cigarettes: A Comparison of 35 Brands,” Consumers Union Reports, July 1938. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

“Cigarettes: Results of Tests for Nicotine and Tars in 27 Brands,” Consumer Reports, February 1953. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Brecher, Ruth and Edward, The Consumers Union Report on Smoking and the Public Interest, Mount Vernon, N.Y., 1963. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Object cases  

Lipstick Tester. Consumer Reports. Artifacts and test equipment collection. Box A2.

Emeril Saucepan, Consumer Reports. Artifacts and test equipment collection. Box A7.

Shoe tester. Consumer Reports. Artifacts and test equipment collection. Box 34.