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Riesman, David, 1909-2002
Variant namesDavid Riesman (born September 22, 1909, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.-died May 10, 2002, Binghamton, New York) was an American sociologist, attorney, writer, and educator. He is best known as the author of The Lonely Crowd: A Study of the Changing American Character (with Reuel Denney and Nathan Glazer, 1950), an examination of post-WWII American society. The book struck a chord with readers and became a bestseller, contributing the terms "inner-directed," "outer-directed," and "tradition-directed" to discourse on the social character of modern Americans in an age of burgeoning prosperity and consumerism.
Riesman was educated at Harvard University, receiving an A.B. in biochemistry in 1931 and a law degree in 1934. Following law school, he clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis for a year, then taught law at the University of Buffalo from 1937 to 1941 (now the State University of New York at Buffalo). He also served as a deputy assistant district attorney in Manhattan in 1940, where he contributed to the state legislature's anti-Communist Rapp-Coudert committee hearings. Riesman spent World War II working as an executive at the Sperry Gyroscope Company.
Riesman married Evelyn Hastings Thompson, a writer and art critic, in 1936. She died in 1998. They had two daughters, Lucy Lowenstein and Jennie Riesman; and a son, Michael.
The remainder of Riesman's career was in academia. He taught social sciences at the University of Chicago from 1946 to 1958, then at Harvard until his retirement in 1980. He wrote and co-authored more than a dozen books, including Faces in the Crowd: Individual Studies in Character and Politics (with Glazer, 1952), Thorstein Veblen: A Critical Interpretation (1953), Individualism Reconsidered and Other Essays (1954), Abundance for What? and Other Essays (1964), and The Academic Revolution (with Jencks, 1968).
From the guide to the Riesman, David. Papers, 1947-1982, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)
Archival Resources
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|---|---|---|---|
| creatorOf | Diggins, John P. John P. Diggins papers, 1966-2008. | New York Public Library System, NYPL | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David, 1909-2002. Letters, 1939-1980, n.d., to Lewis Mumford. | University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library | |
| referencedIn | Harvard University Archives Photograph Collection: Portraits, ca. 1852-ca. 2004 | Harvard University Archives. | |
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| creatorOf | Gilmore, Robert Wallace, 1921-1988. Robert Wallace Gilmore papers, 1960-1982. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| referencedIn | Cowan, Paul. Papers, 1963-1987. | Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project | |
| creatorOf | Denney, Reuel, 1913-1995. Papers, 1932-1988. | New Hampshire Newspaper Project | |
| referencedIn | Marshall, Lenore, 1897-1971. Papers, 1887-1980. | Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Harvard Law School Forums Records | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David, 1909-2002. Reminiscences of David Riesman : oral history, 1982. | Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Paul A. Freund papers | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| creatorOf | Williams, Michael, 1878-1950. Records, 1926-1989. | University of Notre Dame, Hesburgh Library | |
| creatorOf | Fromm, Erich, 1900-1980. Erich Fromm papers, 1929-1949, bulk (1932-1949). | New York Public Library System, NYPL | |
| referencedIn | Religious Formation Conference. Records, 1936-[ongoing]. | Marquette University Raynor Memorial Library, John P. Raynor Library | |
| creatorOf | American Committee for the Guidance of Professional Personnel records, 1938-1945. | New York State Historical Documents Inventory | |
| referencedIn | Roscoe Pound Papers | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| referencedIn | Hannah Arendt Papers 1898-1977 (bulk 1948-1977) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Falk, I. S. (Isidore Sydney), 1899-1984. Isidore Sydney Falk papers, 1918-1984 (inclusive). | Yale University Library | |
| referencedIn | John P. Diggins papers, 1966-2008 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David. Papers, 1947-1982 | Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library, | |
| referencedIn | Hans J. Morgenthau Papers, 1858-1981, (bulk 1925-1981) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Davis, Hope Hale. Papers, 1831-1835, 1916-2002 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Cora Alice Du Bois papers, 1869-1988 (inclusive), 1912-1985 (bulk) | Tozzer Library, Harvard College Library, Harvard University | |
| creatorOf | Thomas, Norman, 1884-1968. Norman Thomas papers, 1904-1967, bulk (1933-1967). | New York Public Library System, NYPL | |
| referencedIn | Joseph Barnes Papers, 1923-1970 | Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library | |
| referencedIn | Denney, Reuel, 1913-1995. Papers, 1932-1988. | New Hampshire Newspaper Project | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David, 1909-2002. Reminiscences of David Riesman : oral history, 1967. | Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Richard Volney Chase Papers, ca.1930-1984. | Columbia University. Rare Book and Manuscript Library | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David, 1909-2002. Papers of David Riesman, ca. 1931-1988 (inclusive). | Harvard University Archives. | |
| referencedIn | May Sarton Papers, 1846-1995, 1920-1995 | The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature. | |
| referencedIn | Student Peace Union (U.S.). Records, 1958-1964. | Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project | |
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| creatorOf | Flansburg, James Sherman, 1932-. Papers of James S. Flansburg, 1962-1998. | University of Iowa Libraries | |
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| referencedIn | Lyman Bryson Papers, 1893-1978, (bulk 1917-1959) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Robert A. Nisbet Papers, 1949-1994, (bulk 1953-1990) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Antioch Review mss., 1940-2007 | Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington) | |
| referencedIn | American Scholar, Records, 1926-2006, (bulk 1944-2005) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
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| referencedIn | J. B. Matthews Papers, 1862-1986 and undated | David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library | |
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| referencedIn | Guide to the American Committee for Cultural Freedom Records, 1939-1957 | Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives | |
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| referencedIn | Barber, Bernard. Bernard Barber papers, 1938-1988. | Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Women's Equity Action League of Massachusetts. Records, 1971-1992 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1927-1984 | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1831-1835, 1916-2002 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Stuart, Mary. Mary Stuart cassette tapes and transcripts of tapes, 1979-1980. | Bentley Historical Library | |
| referencedIn | Higgins, Mary Tyng, 1913-. Papers, 1912-1987 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Alumni Association (University of Michigan), Individual Photographs, ca. 1880-ca. 1960s | Bentley Historical Library | |
| creatorOf | Halle, Louis Joseph, 1910-. Papers of Louis J. Halle [manuscript], 1915-1985 bulk (1947-1985). | University of Virginia. Library | |
| referencedIn | Hughes, Everett Cherrington, 1897-. Papers, 1924-1982 (inclusive). | University of Chicago Library | |
| creatorOf | Riesman, David, 1909-2002. Dilemmas of the educated woman : commencement address at Mount Holyoke College : typescript, 1968 June 2. | Mount Holyoke College, Williston & Miles-Smith Library | |
| referencedIn | Erik H. and Joan M. Erikson papers, 1925-1985 (inclusive) 1960-1980 (bulk). | Houghton Library | |
| referencedIn | Records, 1971-1992 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Isidore Sydney Falk papers, 1918-1984 | Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives | |
| referencedIn | Records of the President of Radcliffe College, 1960-1972 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | New Directions Publishing records | Houghton Library | |
| referencedIn | The Nation, records, 1879-1974 (inclusive), 1920-1955 (bulk). | Houghton Library | |
| referencedIn | William Ernest Hocking papers | Houghton Library | |
| referencedIn | Norman Thomas papers, 1904-1967, 1933-1967 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| referencedIn | Dwight Macdonald papers, 1865-1984 (bulk 1920-1978) | Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives | |
| referencedIn | Paul Goodman papers, 1925-1983. | Houghton Library | |
| referencedIn | Max Lerner papers, 1927-1998 | Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives | |
| referencedIn | Erich Fromm papers, 1929-1949, 1932-1949 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1912-1987 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Jerome New Frank papers, 1918-1972 (bulk 1929-1957) | Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives | |
| referencedIn | American Committee for the Guidance of Professional Personnel records, 1938-1945 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| referencedIn | Hart, Henry Melvin, 1904-1969. Papers, 1927-1969 | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| referencedIn | Records of Radcliffe Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, 1907-1995 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Hughes, Everett Cherrington. Papers, 1922-1982 | Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library, | |
| creatorOf | MARGARET GARDINER PAPERS. Vol. III (ff. 129). 'Vietnam: an American View'; 1967.includes:ff. 2, 34 Harrison Evans Salisbury, Associate Editor, 'The New York Times': Letters to Margaret Gardiner of Harrison Evans Salisbury: 1967: Signed.ff. 3, 40 ..., 1967 | British Library | |
| referencedIn | Pool, Jean MacKenzie. Papers, 1953-1974 (inclusive). | Radcliffe College, Archives | |
| referencedIn | Magruder, Calvert, 1893-1968. Papers. 1920-1965 | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 | |
| referencedIn | Fuller, Lon L. Lon L. Fuller papers. 1926-1977. | Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138 |
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Birth 1909-09-22
Death 2002-05-10
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