Arthur H White, 90, died on Aug 25 as the result of complications of a stroke, the New York Times has reported.
Mr White advocated for literacy throughout his life. In 1966, he was one of the co-founders of Reading is Fundamental, which continues to be a leading advocate for childhood literacy.
He was also a market research pioneer, having co-founded the firm of Yankelovich, Skelly, and White in 1959. This firm is one of the nation’s leading public opinion research firms, and it is now known as The Futures Company as a result of a few strategic mergers.
The social activist also served as a member of the board at Jobs for the Future, where he remained actively involved. “It was not enough to have an idea,” the Times quoted Hilary Pennington, a vice president at the Ford Foundation who helped Mr White establish Jobs for the Future, as saying in an interview last week. “He had to see that idea produce change.”