Identity elements
Reference code
Name and location of repository
Level of description
Collection
Title
Consumer Federation of America records
Date(s)
- 1967 - 2017 (Creation)
Extent
22.50 Boxes
Name of creator
Administrative history
As described on their website, "The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of non-profit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through the research, advocacy, and education." As of 2015, over 300 consumer groups belong to the federation and participate in its governance. Executive Director Stephen Brobeck selected the Consumer Movement Archives as the repository for the association’s records in 2015. For a comprehensive history of CFA, see <emph render='italic'>Watchdogs and Whistleblowers: A Reference Guide to Consumer Activism,</emph> Robert N. Mayer and Stephen Brobeck, 2015.
Content and structure elements
Scope and content
The Consumer Federation of America records document the association's development from 1967 to 2017 through testimonies, newsletters, reports, statements, correspondence, press releases, pamphlets, policy resolutions, and audiotapes. The collection contains minutes from the CFA board of directors meetings, CFA policy resolutions and CFA's annual reports (1980–2016). Other reports, statements, and surveys provide coverage of issues investigated, policies advanced, and materials developed to educate the public and media. Areas addressed include consumer safety, financial advancement and protection, consumer knowledge, post-9/11 terrorism insurance and safety, product safety in general and specifically product safety in children's products and automobiles
Of special interest is correspondence documenting interactions with prominent political figures including Joe Biden, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, and Bob Dole. Also noteworthy are pamphlets from the association’s annual Consumer Assembly (1980–2015) and pamphlets developed for the CFA project America Saves. A set of audiotapes (2000-2003) offer insight into CFA conferences that tackled issues including food safety, obesity, and bioterrorism. Reports document court cases and petitions. The collection contains the association's voting records (1971–2008).
CFANews and Consumer Federation of America annual reports are available online. See Series 8 for online access to annual reports and series 9 for online access to CFANews. Series 12 provides access to CFA's website from 2007-2017.
System of arrangement
This collection is arranged into 11 series by type of material: 1) Official & Board Minutes; 2) Correspondence; 3) Statements; 4) Reports; 5) Testimonies; 6) Surveys; 7) Press Releases; 8) Annual Reports & Policy Resolutions; 9) CFAnews & Voting Record; 10) Conference Tapes; 11) Pamphlets.
Conditions of access and use elements
Conditions governing access
No access restrictions: All materials are open for research
Physical access
Technical access
Conditions governing reproduction
The researcher assumes full responsibility for observing all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.
Languages of the material
- English
Scripts of the material
Language and script notes
Finding aids
Generated finding aid
Acquisition and appraisal elements
Custodial history
Accession number 2015-16.017.
Immediate source of acquisition
Acqusition Source: Consumer Federation of America
Acqusition Method: Donation
Acqusition Date: 20150706
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling information
Acquired to document the history and preserve the organizational records of the Consumer Federation of America from its conception through 2015.
Accruals
Consumer Federation of America will send Annual Reports and Policy Resolutions each year. Date range should reflect this.
Related materials elements
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related archival materials
The Consumer Federation of America: Fifty Years of Education, Advocacy, and Research: https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/cfa-celebrating-50-years.mp4
Related descriptions
Notes element
Specialized notes
- Citation: Preferred Citation: [Item title], [item date], Consumer Federation of America, Box [number], Folder [number or title], Morse Department of Special Collections, Kansas State University Libraries.
Alternative identifier(s)
Archon Collection ID
Description control element
Rules or conventions
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Sources used
Archivist's note
Finding Aid Author: McKenzie Combes
Processing Info: Student assistant McKenzie Combes processed and described the materials in 2015-2016.
Publication Date: 2016-03-31