The Daniel Horowitz research collection on Vance Packard dates from 1935 to 1996 and consists of notes, biographical documents annotated by Vance Packard, correspondence, and interview recordings and transcripts that Horowitz created in the process of researching his book, Vance Packard and American Social Criticism (1994). The collection includes biographical materials that Vance Packard supplied and annotated, describing his childhood, schooling, early career, and some details of his personal life. The collection also contains Vance Packard's articles about socialism and articles written by others about his views on socialism. A large portion of the collection consists of Horowitz's letters asking for details about Packard's life. The correspondents include Packard, his family members, friends from his student days, colleagues from his time working on American Magazine, and his neighbors. Correspondence with his friends and family members describe his personality, political allegiances, and other influences on the development of his ideas. Another group of letters concerns the reaction of academic sociologists (such as Seymour Lipset) to Vance Packard's ideas and his success as a social critic. The collection also includes interviews Horowitz conducted with Packard and others. Interview materials include Horowitz's notes, audio recordings, and transcripts of interviews. Interviewees include: sociologists Gilbert Nass, Gary Marx, and Gerald Green who were influenced by Vance Packard; and Raymond Mack, a sociologist whom Packard had interviewed. Other interviewees knew Packard through publishing venues. In this category are Carolyn Anthony, John Tebbel, and in particular Packard's copy editor, Kacy Tebbel. Martha Winch and her husband worked with Packard on his book The Status Seekers; Arthur Tornhill of Little Brown Press knew Packard personally; Jack Long and Peter Mass worked with Packard at the American Magazine. They and others from the advertising industry, such as Alvin Achenbaum, provide background information on Packard's years as a journalist, and issues concerning professional journalism. Interviews with Tom and Helen Maley, Packard's son Randall, and daughter Cindy Packard Richmond reveal Packard the private individual. Finally, the collection includes twenty-two photographs of Packard, family, and friends, plus twenty photographic reproductions of advertisements and comics that illustrate how thoroughly Packard's views on American society penetrated popular culture.
