Jeffrey Fuller
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Fuller worked for the American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) from 1948–1966 and also served in the U.S. Army
during World War II
. At the ACLU, Fuller was responsible for membership development and fundraising and also edited their monthly newsletter Civil Liberties.
, a cofounder of the ACLU. He graduated from Harvard University
in 1938 with an A.B. degree in Slavic Languages
, History and Literature. He also studied radio and television production
at New York University
from 1940 to 1941.
Following graduation, Fuller was self-employed
as a music dealer specialized in collector-item records and also worked as a guide at the 1939 World's Fair in New York, as assistant radio editor at the New York Post
from 1939 to 1940, and as the Public Relations Assistant for the Norris-LaGuardia Independent Citizens Committee for Roosevelt and Wallace in October and November 1940.
in October 1942 and served as Aide de Camp
to Major General
D. H. Connolly, the commanding general
at the Persian Gulf Command
, traveling extensively with the general and translating Russian and French for him. He served in this capacity until May 1943.
Next, Fuller became Russian Liaison Officer and Civilian Personnel Officer in Qazvin
, Iran, where he worked daily with the Russian command. He returned to the United States in October 1944 for additional training, studying the theory and practice of military government
and Japanese language
, history and culture at the School of Military Government in Charlottesville, Virginia
and the Civil Affairs
Training School at the University of Chicago
.
However, his next post continued to utilize his expertise in Russian. From May 1945 to March 1946, Fuller was an OSS field operative, serving in the Research and Analysis Branch of the U.S.S.R. Division in Washington, Berlin, and Central Europe
. Fuller was discharged from the Army in June 1946 with the rank of Major, but continued to serve as a Major in the reserve, where he specialized in psychological warfare
.
of the organization. While at the ACLU, he developed an integrated membership system to distribute contributions between the national organization and the member's affiliate, organized new affiliates, and oversaw the Indian Civil Rights
Committee. During his tenure, the ACLU grew from 9,000 combined national and affiliate members with 7 affiliates to 48,000 combined members with 27 affiliates.
Fuller left the ACLU in 1959 to serve as the manager of the fundraising department of a direct mail
firm. However, Fuller continued as editor of Civil Liberties, the ACLU's monthly publication, a post he held from 1951 to 1966. Civil Liberties was a 4-6 page monthly publication that reported on the ACLU's activities and accomplishments and on current civil liberties issues. Fuller was succeeded as editor by Claire Cooper in 1966.
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
(ACLU) from 1948–1966 and also served in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. At the ACLU, Fuller was responsible for membership development and fundraising and also edited their monthly newsletter Civil Liberties.
Background
Jeffrey Eastman Fuller was born on March 17, 1917 to Walter Fuller and Crystal EastmanCrystal Eastman
Crystal Catherine Eastman was a lawyer, antimilitarist, feminist, socialist, and journalist. She is best remembered as a leader in the fight for women's right to vote, as a co-editor of the radical arts and politics magazine The Liberator, and as a co-founder of the Women's International League...
, a cofounder of the ACLU. He graduated from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1938 with an A.B. degree in Slavic Languages
Slavic languages
The Slavic languages , a group of closely related languages of the Slavic peoples and a subgroup of Indo-European languages, have speakers in most of Eastern Europe, in much of the Balkans, in parts of Central Europe, and in the northern part of Asia.-Branches:Scholars traditionally divide Slavic...
, History and Literature. He also studied radio and television production
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
from 1940 to 1941.
Following graduation, Fuller was self-employed
Self-employment
Self-employment is working for one's self.Self-employed people can also be referred to as a person who works for himself/herself instead of an employer, but drawing income from a trade or business that they operate personally....
as a music dealer specialized in collector-item records and also worked as a guide at the 1939 World's Fair in New York, as assistant radio editor at the New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
from 1939 to 1940, and as the Public Relations Assistant for the Norris-LaGuardia Independent Citizens Committee for Roosevelt and Wallace in October and November 1940.
Army service
In January 1941, Fuller joined the U.S. Army, serving in an MP Battalion and at Infantry Regimental Headquarters. He was commissioned as a 2nd LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in October 1942 and served as Aide de Camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
D. H. Connolly, the commanding general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
at the Persian Gulf Command
Persian Gulf Command
The Persian Gulf Command was a United States Army service command established in December 1943 to assure the supply of U.S. lend-lease war material to the Soviet Union. Its history originated in September 1941, when the U.S. Military Iranian Mission led by Engineer officer COL Raymond A. Wheeler ...
, traveling extensively with the general and translating Russian and French for him. He served in this capacity until May 1943.
Next, Fuller became Russian Liaison Officer and Civilian Personnel Officer in Qazvin
Qazvin
Qazvin is the largest city and capital of the Province of Qazvin in Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 349,821, in 96,420 families....
, Iran, where he worked daily with the Russian command. He returned to the United States in October 1944 for additional training, studying the theory and practice of military government
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
and Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, history and culture at the School of Military Government in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
and the Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs
Civil Affairs is a term used by both the United Nations and by military institutions , but for different purposes in each case.-United Nations Civil Affairs:...
Training School at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
.
However, his next post continued to utilize his expertise in Russian. From May 1945 to March 1946, Fuller was an OSS field operative, serving in the Research and Analysis Branch of the U.S.S.R. Division in Washington, Berlin, and Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. Fuller was discharged from the Army in June 1946 with the rank of Major, but continued to serve as a Major in the reserve, where he specialized in psychological warfare
Psychological warfare
Psychological warfare , or the basic aspects of modern psychological operations , have been known by many other names or terms, including Psy Ops, Political Warfare, “Hearts and Minds,” and Propaganda...
.
Private sector
With Michael Bodkin, Fuller founded the Bodkin Research & Manufacturing Co., Inc. in July 1946. He served as vice-president and general partner. The company produced organic plant food and failed in February 1948.ACLU
In 1948, Fuller joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) staff as the Membership Director, responsible for fundraising and membership promotion and maintenance. The majority of his work was conducted through the mail and involved the preparation of letters, leaflets and other promotional material, and he also served as the general financial secretaryFinancial secretary
Financial secretary is an administrative and executive government position within the governance of a State, corporation, private or public organization, small group or other body with financial assets....
of the organization. While at the ACLU, he developed an integrated membership system to distribute contributions between the national organization and the member's affiliate, organized new affiliates, and oversaw the Indian Civil Rights
Civil rights
Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
Committee. During his tenure, the ACLU grew from 9,000 combined national and affiliate members with 7 affiliates to 48,000 combined members with 27 affiliates.
Fuller left the ACLU in 1959 to serve as the manager of the fundraising department of a direct mail
Direct marketing
Direct marketing is a channel-agnostic form of advertising that allows businesses and nonprofits to communicate straight to the customer, with advertising techniques such as mobile messaging, email, interactive consumer websites, online display ads, fliers, catalog distribution, promotional...
firm. However, Fuller continued as editor of Civil Liberties, the ACLU's monthly publication, a post he held from 1951 to 1966. Civil Liberties was a 4-6 page monthly publication that reported on the ACLU's activities and accomplishments and on current civil liberties issues. Fuller was succeeded as editor by Claire Cooper in 1966.