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Donald F. Carpenter photographs

Creation: circa 1920-1968
 Collection
Accession: 2003-203

Abstract

Donald Fell Carpenter (1899-1985) was General Manager of the Film Department at the DuPont Company. The collection consists of photographs, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and a few letters relating to Donald Carpenter's personal life and career.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1920-1968

Creator

Extent

500 item(s)

General Physical Description

35 photographic prints : b&w ; 37.9 x 46.8 cm. or smaller. 91 photographic prints : b&w ; 8 x 10 in. 1 photographic print : color ; 8 x 10 in. 15 photographic prints : b&w ; 5 x 7 in. 20 photographic prints : b&w ; 4 x 5 in. or smaller. 1 photographic print : color ; 4 x 5 in. 51 items : clippings. 4 items : pamphlets. 15 items.

Biographical Note

Donald Fell Carpenter (1899-1985) was General Manager of the Film Department at the DuPont Company. Carpenter was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on September 24, 1899. He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in Engineering in 1922. Between 1927 and 1933 he held increasingly important managerial positions with the DuPont Viscoloid Company, and between 1933 and 1948 with the Remington Arms Company. In 1947 to 1948 he was a member of the Industrial Advisory Group to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, and on March 1, 1948, he was appointed Chairman of the Military Liaison Committee of the AEC and deputy to Secretary of Defense James Forrestal on atomic energy matters. On September 22, 1948, he left the Military Liaison Committee to chair the Munitions Board. Carpenter resigned both government posts on June 30, 1949 and returned to DuPont, although he returned to government as a member of the Special Stockpile Advisory Committee in 1957 to 1958. From 1950 to his retirement in 1963, Carpenter was General Manager of the Film Department at the DuPont Company. He remained active in civic work, particularly with Wilmington hospitals and MIT. He died on September 28, 1985.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of photographs, newspaper clippings, pamphlets and a few letters relating to Donald Carpenter's personal life and career. Many of the images relate to Carpenter's career with the DuPont Company, especially his tenure as General manager of the Film Department. These include images of Carpenter touring assorted DuPont film plants, attending film department and sales department staff meetings, and meeting with other DuPont executives. Carpenter's employment with the Remington Arms Company is also featured in several photographs, which are primarily formal portraits taken in Carpenter's office and photographs showing groups of executives. A significant number of newspaper clippings and magazine articles featuring Carpenter and his work with DuPont are also part of the collection. Pamphlets in the collections include an early 1960s pamphlet from the DuPont Film department featuring samples of the assorted films that the company developed and produced.

Carpenter's government service is also well represented in the collection. Images of Donald Carpenter being sworn in as Chairman of the Munitions Board and posing formally with the Board and its staff are part of the collection. Several images feature Munition Board meetings. A number of pictures of government and military officials, most of which are autographed, are also included in the collection. These include Presidents Truman and Eisenhower, Secretary of Defense James Forrestal, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, Secretary of the Army Gordon Gray, General Omar Bradley, Army Chief of Staff Joseph L. Collins and noted scientist, Vannevar Bush. There are also copies of letters of congratulations and recognition for Carpenter's work with the Atomic Energy Commission and the Munitions Board. Images featuring Donald Carpenter's civic and personal interests round out the collection. A number of photographs reflect Carpenter's longtime involvement with MIT; these show both alumni activities and meetings of planning committees of the MIT Corporation. Carpenter's personal life and inteterests are respresented by a small file of images including his wedding photograph, images of leisure activities and photographs of his uncle, Edmund N. Carpenter.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research.

Related Material

Donald F. Carpenter memoirs (Accession 1177), Manuscript and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Separated Materials

Donald F. Carpenter papers (Accession 2159), Manuscript and Archives Department, Hagley Museum and Library

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title:
Donald F. Carpenter photographs
Author:
Chase Markee
Date:
2013
Description rules:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description:
English
Script of description:
Latin

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Audiovisual Collections Repository

Contact:
PO Box 3630
Wilmington Delaware 19807 USA
302-658-2400