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Robert J. Baptista Papers

 Collection
Identifier: 2008-025

Scope and Content

The Robert J. Baptista contains the personal papers of Robert J. Baptista. The collection is arranged into the following four series:

  1. About Robert J. Baptista
  2. Plant Histories and Supporting Materials
  3. History of the Colorants Industry Research Files
  4. Corporate Publications

Dates

  • Creation: 1921-2008
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1972-2008

Creator

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials.

Copyright Information

The Science History Institute holds copyright to the Robert J. Baptista Papers. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Background Note

Robert J. Baptista is a chemist and a colorant industry historian. He was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey and attended the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. He received his B.S. in chemistry in 1966 and his Ph.D. in 1972. Baptista has been employed by several chemical firms, including Verona Dyestuffs Corporation, Mobay Chemical Corporation, and Miles, Incorporated among others. In 1972, he began his employment with Verona Dyestuffs Corporation, a division of Mobay Chemical Corporation, and from 1981 to 1986 he was in charge of manufacturing operations at the firm’s newly-acquired Damascus, West Virginia plant. From 1987 to 1993, Baptista was plant manager at Harmon Colors Corporation in Haledon, New Jersey (Harmon was another division of the Mobay Corporation). In 1994, he was named vice-president of Rubber Manufacturing USA for Miles, Incorporated and moved to Orange, Texas. Baptista retired from this position in 2000.

From 2002 to 2003, Baptista served as executive director of the Chemical Alliance, an initiative aimed at promoting new investment in the chemical industry in West Virginia. He remains a resident of Orange, Texas and spends much of time documenting and writing about the colorants industry in the United States. He additionally maintains a website where digital versions of much of this material has been posted.

Sources

Baptista, Robert J. Colorants Industry History. http://www.colorantshistory.org/.

Robert J. Baptista Papers, Science History Institute Archives, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Extent

9.7 Linear Feet (7 boxes.)

Language of Materials

English

German

Abstract

Research files, business files, publications, reports, sales agreements, forms, statements, testimonies, and proceedings belonging to Robert J. Baptista.

Acquisition Information

The Robert J. Baptista Papers were donated to the Science History Institute (formerly the Chemical Heritage Foundation) by Robert J. Baptista in 2008.

Digitized Materials

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized and are available online in our Digital Collections: https://digital.sciencehistory.org/collections/ppay84f

Related Materials

The Baptista/Geigy Sample Card Collection is preserved at the Science History Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Processing Information

The Robert J. Baptista Papers were processed by Andrew Mangravite in 2017 and encoded into EAD by Samantha Brigher in 2021.

Title
Robert J. Baptista Papers
Status
Completed
Author
The Robert J. Baptista Papers were processed by Andrew Mangravite in 2017 and encoded into EAD by Samantha Brigher in 2021.
Date
2017
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2021: Revised by Samantha Brigher.
  • 2023: Digitized Materials note added.

Repository Details

Part of the Science History Institute Archives Repository

Contact:
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia PA 19106 United States
215.873.8265
215.873.5265 (Fax)