RE:source is a publication of the Rockefeller Archive Center (RAC), where a team of archivists, educators, and historians share stories, photo essays, timelines, educational resources, and updates on new research in RAC collections.
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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 Philanthropy in Asia
Ping-Pong Diplomacy: NGOs and International Relations
When a friendly interaction unexpectedly emerged between American and Chinese table tennis players, one nonprofit seized the opportunity to support broader cultural diplomacy.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s Rural Reconstruction Program in 1930s China
In the 1930s, an ambitious program to reshape China was cut short by war, but offered a model for community development.
Early 20th Century Reforms of Medical Education Worldwide
Working to change US medical education was one of the Rockefeller Foundation’s biggest endeavors in the 1910s and 1920s, extending from Johns Hopkins in Baltimore to Beijing, China.
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
In Brief: The 1995 Beijing Women’s Conference
The global conversation about women’s issues takes a big step forward.
Building Global Understanding: Area Studies, Language, and History
Encouraging cross-cultural knowledge in an interconnected postwar world by shaping new interdisciplinary programs and retooling traditional academic fields.
The Rockefeller Foundation’s Agriculture Program in India
India was not the first country to take up the new seeds and methods developed by the Rockefeller Foundation, but the story of India’s adoption of them in the 1960s is dramatic.
Spotlight on Philanthropic Support for Creativity and the Arts
An Overview of Rockefeller Foundation Support for the Performing Arts in the 20th Century
Although known for its work in science, medicine, and health, the Rockefeller Foundation supported a surprising number of performing arts activities.
American Choreographers: Funding the Creative Process
Grant makers and grantees cooperated to craft a unique program in dance.
Early Experiments in Public Broadcasting
The American public broadcast system as it exists today came out of years of work by organized philanthropy.
“Highest Standards”: Elite Philanthropy and Literary Black Voices during the Civil Rights Era
Against a backdrop of white, establishment concepts of literary excellence, one foundation struggled to appreciate Black voices.
Photo Essay: A Mother, a Son, and Modern Art
Abby Aldrich Rockefeller’s passion for modern art influenced her children, especially her son Nelson Rockefeller, and continues to reach the public through the museum she co-founded.
In Brief: James Baldwin’s Creative Writer’s Fellowship
How a foundation provided the final ingredient to an era-defining novel.
Rockefeller Foundation Funding for Literature
Supporting American writers and the journals that publish their work.
In Case You Missed It
New Research: International Baccalaureate, Mali Family Planning, Shadow Diplomat in Brazil, and Japanese Rural Health
This edition of our monthly series, New Research, highlights the global nature of our archives, with reports drawing from the records of the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the Rockefeller Foundation, the Davison Fund, and the papers of several individuals.