Rockefeller’s Philanthropy
Rockefeller anonymously donated money to various organizations and churches for decades. During the Civil War, he helped freed slaves by giving generous donations to build their schools. Spelman College in Atlanta was founded with a large amount of his money. He named the school after his wife’s maiden name, Laura Spelman Rockefeller.
Rockefeller Hall at Vassar College, photographed in 1946. Photo by Everett Collection / Shutterstock
He also donated money to a small Baptist college because it was led by William R. Harper, a minster he admired; Rockefeller donated over $80 million, and the school eventually became the University of Chicago. In addition, he gave considerable sums to Yale University, Harvard University, and other established Eastern schools such as Columbia University, Vassar, and what would become the Rockefeller University in New York in 1965 (decades after he died).