The Gardner Ackley papers document the career of one of the most influential economists of his time. As a researcher, teacher, and especially as an advisor to United States presidents and various government agencies Ackley helped formulate the direction of governmental economic policy. This collection reflects those activities. Ackley's papers arrived at the Bentley Library in four accessions: 1972 (boxes 1-23), 1988 (boxes 24-28), 2005 (boxes 29-36), and 2011 (boxes 37-38). Generally, papers from the first accession relate to his earlier career, those from the 1988 accession relate to his later career, and those from 2005 from all phases of his professional life. The 2011 accession consists mainly of photographs and other personal materials.
The collection is divided into twelve series: Office of Price Administration/Office of Price Stabilization files; President's Council of Economic Advisors files; University of Michigan files; Professional Correspondence; Meetings and Conferences; Speeches, Journal Articles, Letters to the Editor, Chronological correspondence, Clipping file, Columns and unpublished writings, US Ambassador to Italy, 1968-1969, Later career, and Personal: Photographs, Scrapbooks, etc.
(Hugh) Gardner Ackley was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on June 30, 1915. In 1936, Ackley received his baccalaureate degree from Western State Teachers College (now Western Michigan University) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. In 1937, a master's degree was conferred upon Ackley by the University of Michigan and in 1940 he received a doctoral degree from the same institution.
In 1939 and 1940, Ackley was an instructor at Ohio State University, returning to teach at the University of Michigan in late 1940. Throughout the Second World War he served as a member of the government in Washington. From 1941 to 1942, and again from 1944 to 1946 he worked at the Office of Price Administration. In 1943 and 1944 he was assigned to the Office of Strategic Services. Concluding his wartime service, Mr. Ackley returned to the University of Michigan where he resumed his academic career in the Department of Economics.
Ackley returned to government service in 1951, serving for two years as the assistant director of the Office of Price Stabilization. After completing this assignment he once again returned to Ann Arbor to carry on scholarly pursuits.
Gardner Ackley left Ann Arbor for Washington for the third time in August 1962 when President John Kennedy named him as a member of the Council of Economic Advisors. He served as a member of the council until November 14, 1964, when President Lyndon Johnson named him the new chairman of the CEA. Early in 1968, Mr. Ackley left the council to become ambassador to Italy, a post he held until 1969. After returning from Italy, Ackley again resumed his academic career at the University of Michigan.
From 1969 until 1984 Ackley was the Henry Carter Adams University Professor of Political Economy at the University of Michigan. During this same period, he served on many national commissions and councils devoted to economic issues. He was a member of the Trilateral Commission from 1977 to 1983 and during 1978-1979 he was a member of the Advisory Council on Social Security. He also served as president of the American Economics Association during 1982.
Among his many honors, Ackley received the Distinguished Faculty Achievement Award at the University of Michigan in 1976 and he was also elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Science. Ackley has been professor emeritus since 1984.
Gardner Ackley died February 12, 1998.
