Consumer movement

The Consumer Movement Archives (CMA) was established in 1987 through the initiative of Richard L. D. Morse, a prominent leader in the consumer movement and Kansas State University professor. The consumer movement consists of individuals and organizations that advocate for the rights and welfare of consumers, especially when those rights are violated by corporations and governments.

Topics and scope

The CMA preserves and documents the history of the consumer movement in the U.S. It provides a repository for the papers and records of consumer leaders, activists and organizations, and it promotes scholarly use of the material.

The CMA holdings include collections from individuals who worked to protect the rights and safety of consumers. Also preserved are state and national consumer organization records from groups like the Arizona Consumers Council, the National Consumer Law Center, the American Council on Consumer Interest and the Consumer Federation of America. Several collections document consumer activities at the international level.

Types of materials include correspondence, minutes, reports, policies, legal and financial documents, photographs and electronic records.

Topics covered in the collection include:

• consumer history
• protection
• rights
• health and safety
• finance (e.g., truth in lending and savings)
• products
• representation in government
• law
• cooperatives

For more information about this collection, contact Thomas Bell or Cliff Hight.