DuPont Files, 1942-1966

The papers of Harold Brayman contain only a small amount of material related to his career at Du Pont, and of what is available here the material is mostly personal. Brayman's complete files from the public relations department of Du Pont are company records and as such are stored with the Du Pont company archives at the Hagley Museum and Library in Wilmington.

This subseries contains material documenting Brayman's 1942 appointment as assistant director of the public relations department and his 1944 promotion to director of the department. The small subseries of "Du Pont archives" was called such by Brayman and consists of his only remaining company files. Limited as these files are they give a sense of Brayman's role at the company. The files include memoranda to the Du Pont board of directors and executives such as Walter s. Carpenter, Jr., and Crawford H. Greenewalt, including specific reports about the importance of Du Pont's corporate image.

Other material in the subseries includes plans for the development of a company news reel, correspondence with Fortune regarding Du Pont's decision not to cooperate on a company profile by the magazine, and procedures for controlled release of confidential company news. There is material relating to press relations with the Wilmington News Journal and information about public relations at other companies such as U.S. Steel. A small amount of material deals with a significant issue for Du Pont, the 1950s antitrust case for GM-Du Pont. Related material which further documents Brayman's work at Du Pont may be found in Subseries II.B. Speeches, and Subseries III.D. Miscellaneous Personal Correspondence.

Several files in the subseries concern Brayman's 1965 retirement from Du Pont. A file of correspondence from 1965-1966 documents Brayman's ongoing involvement in public relations and contains tributes from his peers in the field. Also included are photographs of Brayman with Denny Griswold, publisher and editor of Public Relations News, with Brayman being recognized as a previous recipient of the "P.R. Professional of the Year" award.

Company publications in the subseries include a 1963 Du Pont fact book and several issues of "This is Du Pont," an irregularly published serial devoted to themes related to work, industrial progress, technological and corporate growth in America.