John D. Rockefeller III facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John D. Rockefeller III
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
John Davison Rockefeller III
March 21, 1906 New York City, New York, U.S.
|
| Died | July 10, 1978 (aged 72) Mount Pleasant, New York, U.S.
|
| Burial place | Rockefeller Family Cemetery Sleepy Hollow, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Princeton University (B.S.) |
| Spouse(s) |
Blanchette Ferry Hooker
(m. 1932) |
| Children |
|
| Parent(s) | John Davison Rockefeller Jr. Abigail Greene Aldrich |
| Relatives | See Rockefeller family |
John Davison Rockefeller III (born March 21, 1906, died July 10, 1978) was an American who loved to help others. He was a philanthropist, which means someone who gives money and time to make the world a better place. John III was the oldest son of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. His grandfather was John D. Rockefeller, who helped start the famous Standard Oil company.
John III worked on many projects to help people. Many of these projects were started by his family. He also supported groups that focused on countries in East Asia. He was a big supporter of the Population Council and the group that created the Lincoln Center in New York City.
Contents
John D. Rockefeller III's Early Life
John Davison Rockefeller III was born on March 21, 1906, in New York City. His parents were John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. They were also well-known philanthropists. John III had four younger brothers: Nelson, Winthrop, Laurance, and David. He also had an older sister named Abby.
His grandfather was John D. Rockefeller Sr., who co-founded Standard Oil. His grandmother was Laura Spelman Rockefeller. On his mother's side, his grandfather was Senator Nelson W. Aldrich. John III went to the Browning School and the Loomis Chaffee School. He then studied at Princeton University, graduating in 1929. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in economics.
John III became very interested in how companies and workers get along. This interest came from a sad event in his family's past. This event was called the Ludlow Massacre. His father worked hard to improve the family's public image. He did this by supporting better relations between companies and their workers. After college, John III traveled the world. He also worked with the Institute of Pacific Relations in Japan. This started his lifelong interest in international relations.
Helping Others: John III's Work
John III took over many of the family's projects that helped society. He served on the boards of twenty different organizations. Most of these were connected to his family's work. Some of the important ones included:
- Rockefeller University (started by his grandfather)
- Colonial Williamsburg (supported by his parents)
- Riverside Church (supported by his father)
- International House of New York (supported by his father)
- China Medical Board (supported by his grandfather and father)
John III was also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He was on the board of directors for Princeton University. In the 1950s, he traveled to Japan with important U.S. leaders. He met with many Japanese leaders to discuss a peace treaty.
He became a major philanthropist himself. In 1956, he started the Asia Society. This group helps Asia and the United States work together better. He also founded the Population Council in 1952. He restarted the Japan Society. John III also helped create the United Negro College Fund. This fund helps African Americans get an education. This continued his family's tradition of supporting education for Black Americans.
John III was president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund from 1940 to 1956. This was the family's main charity run by family members. In 1929, he joined the Rockefeller Foundation. He became chairman of this important organization for twenty years. He helped change what the foundation focused on.
In 1963, he created his own main charity, the JDR III Fund. Its biggest program was the Asian Cultural Program. This program started in 1967. It helped people from East and West cultures share ideas through art. After his death in 1979, the Fund closed. But the Cultural Program continued as the Asian Cultural Council. This council has helped over 4,000 people from Asia and America in the arts.
In the mid-1950s, John III led a group of community leaders. They wanted to create a center for musical arts. This center became the famous Lincoln Center in New York City. He was key in raising money for it. He also helped different leaders agree on the project. The Lincoln Center was built between 1959 and 1969. John III was its first president, starting in 1956. He became its chairman in 1961.
In the late 1960s, John III helped create two important commissions. These groups studied how private charities work. He also started the Rockefeller Public Service Awards in 1958. In 1976, he received an award for his great public service.
John III was chairman of the Commission on Population Growth and the American Future. This group gave advice to the U.S. government. They looked at how population growth affects society. The group was set up in 1970 and shared its ideas in 1972.
Honors After His Life
Rockefeller College at Princeton University was named after him in 1982. This was done to honor his contributions.
The John D. Rockefeller III National Tournament of Elementary School State Champions is a chess tournament. It is run by US Chess. This tournament was named in his honor in 2020.
John D. Rockefeller III's Family Life
On November 11, 1932, John III married Blanchette Ferry Hooker. Blanchette later led the Asian Cultural Council from 1980 to 1990. She also started a special fund in Japan. They had one son and three daughters:
- John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV – He became a U.S. Senator and governor of West Virginia.
- Hope Aldrich Rockefeller
- Sandra Ferry Rockefeller
- Alida Ferry Rockefeller
His Passing
John Rockefeller III died in a car accident on July 10, 1978. He was 72 years old. The accident happened in Mount Pleasant, New York, near his family's estate. He was buried in the Rockefeller Family Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York.
See also
In Spanish: John D. Rockefeller III para niños
- Rockefeller family
- Rockefeller Foundation
- Rockefeller University
- Rockefeller Brothers Fund
