The Vada Horsch’s subject files series is the result of a charge given in January 1949 by the NAM Board of Directors to the Assistant Secretary, Vada Horsch (1906-1998). She was responsible for the organization and coordination of all research and editorial activities that might apply to the newly developed history project documenting NAM’s history from their own perspective. This project appears to have been kept alive, although no further action was taken until 1959. At that time Albert Steigerwalt (1953-1980), a professor of business history at the University of Michigan, was contacted and the project momentarily revived.

The development of the history project was initially overseen and shaped by James A. Emery (1876-1955), General Counsel to NAM (1910-1946). Many of the position statements were drafted by him and are so noted by a red pencil note scribed by Horsch. These statements are concentrated in the Emery file but are also are scattered throughout the entire series.

In processing this series the original order has been protected. Horsch arranged these papers alphabetically by subject. Corrections in alphabetizing have been made to assist the researcher in locating files. The material within each file appears to have been originally arranged in an inconsistently chronological order. In the case of files with large amounts of material, those files have been subdivided without changing the order of the papers. The one exception to this is the file on the AFL-CIO merger. The bulk of the material in that file required more thorough arrangement. This file has been arranged by type of material.

Pamphlets that have no direct relation to other printed materials in the files in which they were found have been separated and placed in an appropriate subject folder.

While there is some subject overlap between files, most of the files represent distinct topics. NAM was primarily concerned with issues involving labor, economics, free enterprise, related legislation, and related domestic and international organizations. Most of the files contain descriptive and analytical information. As a result, this series will probably be most helpful to researchers interested in NAM’s position — and therefore industry’s stand — on any of the issues or topics covered in these papers. The files consist of press releases, speeches, correspondence, committee reports, pamphlets, photographs, position statements, minutes, legal briefs, internal memos and reports, event programs, news clippings, radio transcripts, dissertations, and manuals.