The Visionary Who Transformed Public Opinion Research
Harry Hubert Field
The Life of a Survey Research Pioneer
By Tom W. Smith
Behind the scientific measurement of public opinion in the United States stands a figure whose contributions have been largely overlooked by history—until now. Harry Hubert Field was not merely a founder of institutions, he was an architect of democracy’s most essential tool: understanding what the American people truly think.
In 1941, at a pivotal moment when the nation stood on the brink of World War II, Field established NORC as the first nonprofit, non-commercial organization to measure public opinion in the United States. While commercial polling operations existed, Field’s vision was to create an independent research center dedicated to scientific rigor, academic excellence, and the public good rather than profit.
This biography reveals how one man’s vision helped create the infrastructure for understanding public opinion that we rely on today. For anyone interested in the history of public opinion research, social science methodology, or the untold stories of visionary leaders who shaped modern America, this biography offers an essential portrait.
“In his biography of Field, Smith has created a historic record of remarkable detail and insight that shows how the core values Field and the first NORC Trustees articulated for the organization at its founding remain inspiring and central to NORC’s mission over 80 years later.”
Order Now
Harry Hubert Field: The Life of a Survey Research Pioneer is available now exclusively on Amazon.com, in paperback and e-book.
