Laura Spelman Rockefeller

Laura Spelman Rockefeller was a prominent American philanthropist and the wife of John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil. She was born in Waltham, Massachusetts, to Harvey Buel Spelman and Lucy Henry Spelman, and grew up in a family that valued education and social reform, influenced by the ideas of Horace Mann and William Lloyd Garrison. Her family's connections to Oberlin College and the American Missionary Association also shaped her early life and interests, which would later be reflected in her support for institutions like Tuskegee University and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

● Early Life and Education

Laura Spelman Rockefeller's early life was marked by a strong emphasis on education and social responsibility, with her family encouraging her to pursue her interests in literature and music, as well as philanthropy and community service. She attended Oberlin College, where she met her future husband, John D. Rockefeller, and was influenced by the college's strong abolitionist and feminist traditions, which were shaped by the ideas of Charles Grandison Finney and Asa Mahan. Her education at Oberlin College also introduced her to the work of Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, who would later become prominent figures in her philanthropic efforts. After graduating from Oberlin College, she taught at a school in Cleveland, Ohio, where she became acquainted with the city's social reform movements, including the work of Jane Addams and the Hull House settlement.

● Marriage and Family

In 1864, Laura Spelman Rockefeller married John D. Rockefeller, and the couple had five children together, including John D. Rockefeller Jr., Elizabeth Rockefeller, Alice Rockefeller, Alta Rockefeller, and Edith Rockefeller. Her husband's success in the oil industry, particularly with Standard Oil, provided the family with a significant amount of wealth, which they used to support various philanthropic causes, including the Rockefeller Foundation and the General Education Board. The family's philanthropic efforts were also influenced by their connections to other prominent families, such as the Carnegie family and the Morgan family, who were involved in various charitable and cultural institutions, including the Carnegie Corporation of New York and the Morgan Library & Museum. Laura Spelman Rockefeller's family life was also marked by her relationships with other notable women, including Ida Tarbell and Helen Keller, who shared her interests in social reform and education.

● Philanthropy and Social Causes

Laura Spelman Rockefeller was a dedicated philanthropist, supporting a wide range of causes, including education, healthcare, and social reform. She was particularly interested in promoting women's education and women's rights, and was a strong supporter of institutions like Vassar College and the National Woman Suffrage Association. Her philanthropic efforts were also influenced by her connections to other prominent philanthropists, including Andrew Carnegie and John Jacob Astor IV, who were involved in various charitable and cultural institutions, including the Carnegie Hall and the New York Public Library. She was also a supporter of the American Red Cross and the Young Women's Christian Association, and worked to promote public health and social welfare initiatives, including the work of Jane Addams and the Hull House settlement. Her support for African American institutions, such as Tuskegee University and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, reflected her commitment to racial equality and social justice, which was influenced by the ideas of W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington.

● Later Life and Legacy

In her later years, Laura Spelman Rockefeller continued to be involved in philanthropy and social causes, supporting institutions like the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research and the General Education Board. She also maintained close relationships with other notable women, including Eleanor Roosevelt and Frances Perkins, who shared her interests in social reform and education. After her death in 1915, her legacy as a philanthropist and social reformer was recognized by institutions like the Rockefeller Foundation and the National Council of Negro Women, which continued to promote the causes she had supported during her lifetime, including education, healthcare, and social justice. Her family's philanthropic efforts, including those of her son John D. Rockefeller Jr. and her grandson Nelson Rockefeller, also reflected her commitment to public service and social responsibility, and continued to shape the philanthropic landscape of the United States in the decades that followed, with institutions like the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Council on Foreign Relations playing important roles in promoting international cooperation and global development.