JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER:
CAPTAIN OF INDUSTRY OR
ROBBER BARON
Rania Elmrini, Alicia Cradle
and Marilyn Tenecela
AN INTRODUCTION TO
JOHN D ROCKEFELLER
 John D Rockefeller was a natural businessman with a strong moral sense and intense religious
convictions in which later on in his life he dedicated unmatched wealth to charity.
 Within his lifetime, Rockefeller helped launch the field of biomedical research, funding scientific
investigations that resulted in vaccines for things like meningitis and yellow fever.
 He revolutionized medical training in the United States, and built China’s first proper medical school.
 He championed the cause of public sanitation, creating schools of public health at Johns Hopkins
and Harvard, and helped lead major international public health efforts against hookworm, malaria, yellow
fever, and other maladies.
 He vigorously promoted the cause of education nationwide, without distinction of sex, race, or
creed.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 Mr. Rockefeller's benefactions from 1855 to 1934 totaled $530,853,632, of which the larger amount
went to the four great foundations he established for the purpose of managing his charities.
 They were the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Laura
Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, in memory of his wife, and the General Education Board. The University
of Chicago was another large beneficiary.
 Rockefeller was chiefly interested in education, scientific research, the Baptist Church and other
religious or social organizations. His chief agency of distribution was the Rockefeller Foundation,
established in 1913 with a $100,000,000 capital fund, later increased by $25,000,000 in 1917. It received
up to 1934 from Mr. Rockefeller $182,851,480.90. This organization was formed "to promote the wellbeing of mankind throughout the world."
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research - In 1901, Rockefeller created an
organization to study the cause and prevention of disease. Later known as
Rockefeller University. Rockefeller University is country’s first institution devoted
exclusively to biomedical research.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 General Education Board - 1902, the GEB supported a wide variety of educational
improvements, concentrating attention on medical schools and the improvement of public
education in the South. Before it was phased out in 1965, the GEB distributed more than $300
million. Rockefeller once quoted that the GEB was for “the promotion of education within the
United States of America, without distinction of race, sex, or creed.” Rockefeller made an initial
obligation of $1 million to the organization, but his contributions quickly grew to $43 million by
1907. The total of these donations marked, at the time, made GEB the largest gift to a
philanthropic organization in the history of the United States.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 Rockefeller Sanitary Commission Established - 1909 to
address the problem of hookworm disease, the Commission mounted
massive educational campaigns in the South. Later, efforts were
launched overseas before the organization was closed in 1915.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 The Rockefeller Foundation - The Foundation provided funding for public
health, medical schools, famine prevention, the social sciences, the arts and
many other endeavors. Outstanding contributions in the form of funds,
research, and fieldwork were made by the foundation in the battle against
hookworm, malaria, yellow fever, and other diseases throughout the world. The
Rockefeller Foundation remains one of the world's leading philanthropic forces
today.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
 Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial - John D. Rockefeller, Sr. founded the Laura
Spelman Rockefeller Memorial in October 1918 in memory of his wife. The State of New York
incorporated the Memorial for general philanthropic purposes. During the early years, the
Memorial gave support to the Young Men's Christian Association, the Young Women's Christian
Association, the Boy Scouts, and the Girl Scouts. Considerable contributions from the Memorial
supported organized emergency relief efforts in China and Europe. In the early twenties, the
Memorial appropriated $785,000 to the American Relief Administration and to its affiliate, the
Student Friendship Fund for food and clothing for teachers and students in Russian universities.
PHILANTHROPIC ASPECTS
University of Chicago - Rockefeller instituted the challenge grant
approach to establish what was initially a Baptist institution of higher learning.
He offered to make a large donation if a similar amount could be raised from
other sources within a certain time frame; he favored this approach because it
demonstrated a base of support for a project and he would turn to this form of
philanthropy many times over the years. Rockefeller was also a generous
benefactor of Columbia, Harvard, Spelman, and Yale.
CONCLUSION
 In conclusion it’s obvious that though many of Rockefeller’s means in creating his
capital were questionable and slightly immoral he was still a giving humanitarian who
gave back to the world through both money and through his ability to make petroleum
affordable to all classes of society. Rockefeller gave away nearly half of his fortune
before his death. Churches, medical foundations, universities, and centers for the arts
received hefty sums of oil money. Whether he was driven by good will, conscience, or
his devout faith in God is unknown. Regardless, he became a hero to many enterprising
Americans.