Papers of Sam Black, 1915-1999, Professor of public relations, University of Stirling, Scotland

Author: Compiled by H M Kemp and Alan Borthwick, Scottish Archive Network project, 10 May 2002
Reference and contact details: GB 559 MS 83
Title: Papers of Sam Black, 1915-1999, Professor of public relations, University of Stirling, Scotland
Dates of Creation: 1923-1998
Extent: 8.0 metres
Held at: Stirling University Library
Name of Creator: Black, Sam (1915-1999: Professor of public relations, University of Stirling, Scotland)
Language of Material: English
Level of Description: fonds
Published by: Glasgow University Archive Services

77-87 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6PW, Scotland, United Kingdom

Administrative/Biographical History

Sam Black (1915-1999), Professor of Public Relations, was born in London into a distinguished family of academics - all three brothers were professors. In 1948 he contributed to the development of the Institute of Public Relations (IPR) and in 1963 to the adoption of a professional code of ethics for its members. He worked on the development of the Code of Athens in 1968 , which is an international code of ethics for practitioners, and also actively sought chartered status for IPR. At the beginning of the 1980s he campaigned for the establishment of public relations as a management discipline and in 1988 the University of Stirling introduced the first public relations Master's programme in Europe. Black wrote more than a dozen textbooks on the subject and edited many publications. He held the title of Honorary Professor at the universities of Stirling and Exeter, and Xian University in China, and received the Grand Prix from the European Public Relations Confederation and awards from the University of Florida and the Public Relations Societies of America, Nigeria and the Arab States. He was made an MBE for his contribution to the Board of Trade's initiative to encourage British companies to exhibit overseas and, during his association with the Board, organised more than 200 joint British exhibits for engineering and other sectors of the UK economy. For 21 years he was associated with the British Management Training Export Council.

Scope and Content

General Public Relations papers 1956-1997, including:

  • Reference material 1956-1990
  • Articles 1959-1997
  • Material regarding IPRA 1969-1991
  • Material regarding conferences 1973-1977
  • Correspondence (French) 1979
  • Lecture texts etc 1982-1998 Press cuttings 1984-1990 (incomplete)
  • Correspondence 1986-1995 (incomplete)
  • IPRA Gold Award 1990-1997
  • Reference material (Spanish) 1992-1994

Material relating to trip to China 1989-1992, including:

  • Press releases 1989-1992
  • Correspondence 1990-1992
  • Texts 1992
  • Material (Chinese) 1992
  • Programme, press cuttings 1992
  • Visitors' books 1966-1968, 1970, 1979, 1980
  • CV, photograph undated

Material relating to university Public Relations Courses 1984-1997, including:

  • Correspondence 1984-1997
  • Prospectuses 1987
  • Texts 1987-1990
  • Cuttings 1987-1998
  • In-house communications 1988-1996
  • Class lists
  • Photographs 1988-1997

Distance Learning course material:

  • Reports, minutes 1988-1990
  • Prospectuses, promotional material 1989-1993
  • Course programme material 1989-1994
  • Correspondence 1989-1996
  • Student lists 1991-1994

Papers relating to Dr Edward L Bernays (1891-1995) 1923-1998, including:

  • Courses 1923-1985
  • Articles 1955-1988
  • Interviews 1972-1993
  • Birthday material 1971-1986, 1991
  • Correspondence 1981-1996, 1998
  • Programme, tributes, obituaries 1995
  • Photographs, reviews, CV, undated.

System of Arrangement

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Custodial History

Unknown

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Unknown

Appraisal, Destruction, Scheduling

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 559 procedures

Accruals

Possible

Access Conditions

Open

Copyright/Reproduction

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the Manager, Library Liaison and Training.

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents.

Existence of Copies

No known copies

This material is original

Finding Aids

Data about collection held on Stirling University Library web-based catalogue.

Related Units of Description

No related material

Publication Note

No known publications using this material

Dates of Accumulation

Fonds level description compiled by H M Kemp and Alan Borthwick, Scottish Archive Network project, 10 May 2002.