school and an African-American church. Support of religious institutions and African-American education remained among his foremost philanthropic interests throughout his life. THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO As his wealth grew in the 1870s and 1880s, Rockefeller came to favor a cooperative and conditional system of giving in which he would agree to supply part of the sum needed for a particular project if the others interested in it also would provide substantial financial support. It was on such a conditional basis that Rockefeller participated in the founding of the University of Chicago. The American Baptist Education Society had resolved in 1889 to establish a "well-equipped college" in Chicago. At the urging of the society’s director, the Rev. Frederick T. Gates, Rockefeller offered to give $600,000 of the first $1 million for endowment, provided the remaining $400,000 was pledged by others within 90 days. Thus begun, the University of Chicago was incorporated in 1890, and over the next twenty years Rockefeller contributed to help build up the institution, always on condition that others should join in its support. In 1910 he made a farewell gift of $10 million, which brought his total contributions to the university to about $35 million. REFERENCE’Shttp://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/rockefeller/bio1.htmhttp://www.encyclopedia.com/printable/11051.htmlhttp://www.rockefeller.edu/archive.ctr/jdrsrbio.htmlhttp://www.powerband.com/scripophily/stanoiltruss.htmlhttp://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/rockefeller/jdr.htmhttp://www2.lhric.org/pocantico/rockefeller/jdr.htmJustin JohnsonOne of oil fathersJohn Davison Rockefeller was the guiding force behind the creation and development of the Standard Oil Company, which grew to dominate the oil industry and became one of the first big oil refiners in the United States, Rockefeller also was one of the first major philanthropists in the U.S., establishing several important foundations and...
