Alan Reitman began working for the ACLU in 1948 as publicity director, then later served as assistant director, 1951-1957, and associate director, 1957-1990. The first five boxes (2.1 linear feet) contain correspondence, memoranda, reports, and statements covering the years 1948-1986 and document Reitman's role in ACLU operations. The subseries is arranged chronologically by year and alphabetically by subject within each year.

The remainder of the records (21.42 linear feet) document his work as associate director for the period 1977-1990 and are organized into three sections: correspondence, committee, and subject files. The correspondence files, arranged chronologically, contain Reitman's correspondence with Executive Director Ira Glasser, Board President Norman Dorsen, directors of ACLU affiliates, members of subject matter committees, staff of the national office, and the general public. The files also include ACLU policy statements, committee meeting agenda, results of elections for the national board, affiliate correspondence, election results, and biennial conference papers. Reitman's correspondence also covers board and staff members' service on subject matter committees and the Nominating Committee.

The committee files, arranged alphabetically, contain Reitman's correspondence with members and chairs of organizational, special, and subject matter committees; memoranda; policy statements; position papers; and documents from outside organizations. The files are extensive for several committees, including the Constitution; Grand Jury; Nominating; and Executive Committees; the Special Committee on Receiving and Withholding Medical Treatment; and the ACLU Special Organizational Review Committee (SORC), which reviewed all of the Union's operations.

The subject files, arranged alphabetically, are comprised of correspondence, memoranda, legal briefs, background information, and printed material from outside organizations. There is substantive material on the decennial census, including correspondence with the director of the Bureau of the Census in 1979 on the issue of census questions pertaining to race. There are extensive files on the issues of corporal punishment in the schools, the Fairness Doctrine, access to dial-in services, National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), and the Justice Department's suit to put the International Brotherhood of Teamsters in trusteeship. Reitman's subject files on "mental illness" contain correspondence with committee members Arthur Kobler and Dr. Irwin Feinberg. These files document the ACLU's policy on involuntary commitment of the mentally ill in the 1970s. The Science and Civil Liberties files contain a 1977 proposal written by Dorothy Naiman for an "ACLU Foundation Project on Science and Civil Liberties." In the 1980s, staff and committee members wrote policy statements on civil liberties and scientific research that were based on Naiman's work.

Files documenting Alan Reitman's contribution to the ACLU prior to 1977 are scattered throughout the subject files series as well. Much of Reitman's correspondence dealt with particular issues of concern to the ACLU and was filed under the relevant subjects.