James Baquet

    Next in our song “They All Laughed” come the lines: “They all laughed at Rockefeller Center / Now they’re fighting to get in.”

    The Rockefellers are a long line of businesspeople started by John D. Rockefeller, Sr., who, with his brother William and some others, founded the Standard Oil Company. At one time he was the world’s richest man. When he died his fortune was US$1.4 billion. (That would be about 23 billion today.) Retiring at the relatively young age of 58, he spent the last 40 years of his life developing a system that set the standard for the modern practice of philanthropy.

    The only son among five children, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. — called “Junior” — was in turn the father of five boys and a girl, all of whom made their marks in one way or another. He eventually separated himself from business to practice “pure” philanthropy (unencumbered by business concerns). Nevertheless, it was he who developed Rockefeller Center, a landmark in Manhattan real estate. Today it’s a national historic landmark.

    Junior ran the family’s enterprises from the 56th floor of the building called 30 Rockefeller Plaza (or “30 Rock”). Other tenants of the complex included such blue-chip companies as General Electric, broadcasters RCA and NBC, the Associated Press, Time Inc. (publishers of Time magazine) and Chase National Bank. Among his many gifts to charity was the land on which the United Nations headquarters sits today.

    Among Junior’s descendants, the oldest (and only daughter) Abby, and the oldest boy John D. III were primarily philanthropists; Nelson was a businessman and politician, serving as vice president under President Gerald Ford, as well as being governor of New York State; Laurance was also a philanthropist and businessman, and a major conservationist; Winthrop was a philanthropist and politician, serving as governor of Arkansas; and David is a banker, once serving as the CEO of Chase Manhattan Corporation.

    No wonder the Rockefellers are sometimes considered America’s most powerful family.

    Vocabulary

    Which word above means:

    1. projects

    2. children, grandchildren, etc.

    3. attained success

    4. people who occupy a building

    5. organized donation to charity

    6. abbreviations meaning “older” and “younger”

    7. with no burdens or obligations

    8. one who works to protect the environment

    9. most valuable, highest-rated

    10. money collected in one’s lifetime