RE:source is a publication of the Rockefeller Archive Center (RAC), where a team of researchers, archivists, and educators, share stories, photo essays, timelines, educational resources, and updates on new research in RAC collections.
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Just Published
Philanthropy, Art, and Cultural Diplomacy: Nelson Rockefeller and the Case of the Guatemalan Stela
In 1970, Governor Nelson Rockefeller and the Museum of Primitive Art found themselves at the center of a delicate diplomatic negotiation over an allegedly stolen piece of Mayan art.
In Case You Missed It
“Opening Up New Worlds”: Nelson Rockefeller’s Quest to Redefine “Primitive” Art
Nelson Rockefeller’s personal collection of indigenous art – and the museum he founded to share it – would eventually become a vital addition to the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s “encyclopedic” collection.
Of Snails and Self-Infection: Claude Barlow’s Fight against Schistosomiasis during World War II
How one Rockefeller scientist walked the edge of ethics, endangered himself and offended colleagues to move research forward
“A Reverse Technology Transfer:” The Ford Foundation, Grameen Bank, and Microlending in the US
In the late 20th century, the Ford Foundation’s attempt to translate microlending methods from Bangladesh to the United States revealed false assumptions about poverty, social context, and individual entrepreneurial spirit that undergirded microlending experiments.
Photo Essay: “Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections,” a 1960 Exhibition of the Asia Society
Asia Society’s first public exhibition in 1960, “Masterpieces of Asian Art in American Collections,” launched decades of exhibitions aimed at bringing Asian arts and cultures to American audiences. Photos show the broad range of diverse media and geographical areas represented in the exhibition.
American Foundations in Times of Global Conflict
“Distasteful Regimes”: Authoritarianism, the Ford Foundation, and Social Sciences in Brazil
When the restrictive military regime that had taken power in Brazil in 1964 became even more repressive by 1969, staffers at the Ford Foundation found themselves facing a conundrum.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s Refugee Scholar Program
Saving scholars threatened by Nazis was not easy, but choosing which ones to save was even more difficult.
Documenting Injustice: Recording the Histories of the Japanese American Incarceration
The origins and legacy of a research project conducted in the American concentration camps for Japanese Americans.
Rebuilding a Cathedral: The Media, American Money, and French Heritage
Stepping in to save French monuments without stepping on French pride.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s Role in Creating the Atomic Bomb
In the aftermath, Foundation staff struggled to rectify their organization’s involvement with this weapon of mass destruction.
Rebuilding Asia and Europe: the Rockefeller Foundation’s Role in Post-World-War II Reconstruction
Foundation policy toward reconstruction was shaped by uncertainty over Europe’s — and in particular Germany’s — future
Preserving Scholarship During World War II: the Rockefeller Foundation, Libraries, and Microphotography
Using new technology to save threatened world resources and keep free inquiry alive under threat of fascist destruction.
Explore Timelines
Timeline: American Philanthropy, Agriculture, and the Challenges of Feeding the World
From demonstration farms launched when farming was still unmechanized to confronting climate change in the twenty-first century, American philanthropy has played a key role in shaping and supporting efforts to lift rural communities out of poverty through agriculture.
Timeline: A Century of American Philanthropy’s Engagement with Race and Racism
Delving into a century of philanthropic engagement with race, from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights era.
Timeline: American Foundations and the History of Public Health
Key points in the history of American foundations’ engagement with public health.
Timeline: Philanthropy and World War I
The onset of World War I created new demands on American foundations and donors.