Mainactivities
Afterthereformandopeningup,RockefellerwasthefirstfoundationtoresumecooperationwithChina.Itsworkisnotdividedbycountry,butbyfield,anditsfocushasalwaysbeen-agriculture,medicalandhealth,familyplanningareallareasthatareurgentlyneededinChina,anditscooperationunitsinChinaarequiteextensive:AgriculturalScienceChineseAcademyofSciences,AgriculturalPolicyResearchInstituteoftheChineseAcademyofSciences,ChinaNationalRiceResearchInstituteinHangzhou,ChinaEnvironmentandDevelopmentResearchInstitute,ChinaFamilyPlanningCommissionanditsaffiliatedinstitutions,ChinaScienceandTechnologyCommissionanditsaffiliatedinstitutions,andsomelocalresearchinstitutesandinstitutions,etc..Thereareinternationalprojectstocontrolpopulationandimproveeducationindevelopingcountries.
Medicalandhealth
Thefirstimportantactionafterregistrationin1913wastheestablishmentoftheInternationalMinistryofHealthunderthefoundationandthemergerofthiscommittee.Asthenamesuggests,fromthebeginning,Rockefeller'sintentionwastointernationalizethiswork.
In1917,Rockefellerservedaschairmanoftheboard,andthechairmanwasVincent.Duringthetenyearsofhistenure,thefoundation'sworkhasachievedgreatresults,ofwhichtheMinistryofInternationalHealthisthebiggestfocus.Atthesametime,permanentpublichealthinstitutionshavebeenestablishedintheUnitedStatesandothercountriestoengageinmoreextensivepublichealthwork.Correspondingly,publichealthmedicalpersonnelaretrainedintheUnitedStatesandothercountriesintheworld.Later,in1928,itmergedwiththeLauraPeermanRockefellerMemorialFund,coupledwiththeoldRockefeller'snewdonation,by1951thefundreachedmorethan300millionUSdollars,andin2000itexceeded3.3billionUSdollars.
TheJohnsHopkinsSchoolofMedicineintheUnitedStatesisasymbolofthesuccessofthiseffortandrepresentsthehighestlevelofmedicaleducationintheUnitedStatesatthattime.ForeigncountriesincludeBritain,France,Belgium,Canada,andsomeregionsinLatinAmerica,theMiddleEastandSoutheastAsia.
From1917to1928,thefoundationpaidatotalofUS$40millionforthisworkinEurope,theUnitedStates,andCanada,andUS$10millionwasspentonsecondarymedicalschoolsandpublichealthintheUnitedStates.
Asweallknow,thewell-knownUnionMedicalCollegeanditsaffiliatedhospitalestablishedinChinaarethetopimportantoverseasprojectsoftheRockefellerFoundationduringthisperiod,anditisalsooneofRockefeller’sproudmasterpieces.
Thepresidentwhotookoverin1929wasMason,theformerpresidentoftheUniversityofChicagoandmathematicalphysicist.Sincethen,theDepartmentofMedicalSciences(formerlytheDepartmentofMedicalEducation),theDepartmentofNaturalSciences,theDepartmentofSocialSciences,andtheDepartmentofArtsandHumanitieshavebeenestablished.Theprojectsfundedbythefoundationarestilldominatedbymedicalsciencesandgraduallyexpandedtootherfields.TheindividualresearchessupportedbytheRockefellerFoundationhaveachievedcountlessresults,andtheyaregenerallygroundbreaking.
TheRockefellerFoundationhasalwaysattachedgreatimportancetoscience,especiallymedicineandagronomy,anditcombinesscientificresearchinthisareawithpovertyalleviationworkaroundtheworld.
TheoutstandingachievementsinearlymedicalandhealthaspectsmadetheInternationalMinistryofHealthoncebecomethecenteroftheRockefellerFoundationandwascriticizedbyotherdepartments,whobelievedthatRockefellerwascontrolledbymedicalscientistsandignoredotherwork.Asthesituationchangesandpersonnelchanges,thefocusofworkhasgraduallyshifted,butmedicalandhealthhasalwaysbeenoneofitsconcerns.ThemodelandworkprojectsoftheInternationalMinistryofHealthestablishedbytheRockefellerFoundationareexemplaryinnature.TheUnitedNationsWorldHealthOrganizationwasestablishedin1948andgraduallytookovertheoriginalworkareasoftheRockefellerFoundation;in1950,theU.S.governmentestablishedtheNationalScienceFoundationandtheNationalInstitutesofHealth.ThefieldsandmethodsoffundingscientificresearchalsofollowtheRockefellerFoundationmodel.,Andeventookoveritsproject.
In1951,theInternationalHealthDepartmentoftheRockefellerFoundationwasclosed,anditsfamousvirusresearchinstituteandpersonnelweretransferredtoYaleUniversity.Afterthat,thefoundationachieveditsoriginalgoalbyfundingtheWorldHealthOrganization,whichremainedthesameuntiltheendofthecentury.Thefoundationcalleditthe"Rockefeller-WHOComplementaryStrategy."Overtheyears,thefoundationhascontributedtotheWorldHealthOrganization’sresearchonfamilyplanning,vaccination,andcontraceptives.
In1997,thenewdirectoroftheWorldHealthOrganization,Brundland,tookoffice.Thefoundationannouncedthatitwouldinvest2.5millionUSdollarstoestablishaglobalhealthleadershipfundforthedirectortoselect10expertsinvariousdisciplinesaroundtheworldforatermof1To2years.Theprojectmainlystartsfromthreeaspects:
(1)Strengthentheabilitytouseinformation,findproblemsandsolveproblems;
(2)Strengthenpublicityandeducationtoarousepublicawarenessofhealth-relatedissuesTheattentionofnewissuesandthegovernment’scommitment;
AgriculturalImprovement
TheRockefellerFoundationbelievesthatthekeytoeradicatinghungerliesinimprovingagricultureandgreatlyincreasingfoodproduction.Followingmedicineandhealth,agriculturalimprovementhasalsobeenthelong-termfocusoftheRockwellFoundation.Beforethefoundationwasestablished,the"GeneralEducationAssociation"hadcarriedoutacombinationofcornvarietyimprovementandagriculturalsystemimprovementinpoorruralareasinthesouthernUnitedStateswherethereweremoreblacks,andachievedgoodresults.Overthepastfewdecades,relativelysmallinvestmentsinthisareahaveachievedremarkableresults.
ItissaidthattheearliestinspirationforthisprojectcamefromaconversationbetweenPresidentFosdickandthenUSVicePresidentWallacein1941.Afterthat,theboardofdirectorsoftheRockefellerFoundationdiscussedWallace’sformulationanddecidedtosendthreeexpertstoMexicoforinvestigation-aplantpathologist,ageneticandcornexpert,andasoilscientistfromMinnesota,HarvardandCornellUniversity.Theytraveled5,000milesinMexico,andafterextensiveinvestigation,theycameupwithareportconsideredtobeofclassicsignificance.In1942,theMexicanMinistryofAgricultureformallyinvitedtheRockefellerFoundationtocooperateinimprovedagriculture.
In1943,thetwopartiessignedaletterofintent:theMexicangovernmentprovidedland,labor,partofthelaboratoryhousingandtrainingcosts.ThefoundationpaidmostoftheoperatingcostsandestablishedaworkingteaminMexicoCity.LeaderHarald,theremainingmembersareappointedbytheMexicangovernment.Thisisalong-termcooperation.Atitspeak,18Americanexpertsand100Mexicanswereworkingatthesametime.Afterthe1960s,itwasledbyMexicanexpertstrained.TheteamledbyDr.Haraldinsistedonfieldinspections,demonstrationsandworkingmethodstailoredtolocalconditions,andalsoadoptedeffectivelocalmethods.
OneoftheresultsofthecooperationbetweenthefoundationandMexicoistheestablishmentofapromotionmechanism.Forexample,expertstrainedinMexicogotoColombiatowork,andtalentstrainedinColombiagotoChiletoworkonthesameproject,formingakindofChain.Intermsoffunding,thefoundationprovidesthenecessaryfunding,butitismoreimportanttoencouragethelocalgovernmenttopayattentiontothiswork,sothatthemorethelocalgovernmenttastesthebenefits,themorewillingitistoinvest,andatthesametimereformitsagriculturalmanagementmechanism.Following,oratthesametime,LatinAmericancountries,thiskindofcooperationhasexpandedtotheMiddleEast,SouthAsia,andAfrica.Ofcourse,duetodifferentnationalconditions,thedegreeofsuccessisalsodifferent.OneofthemorefamoussuccessfulexamplesisIndia's"GreenRevolution".Thefoundation'sworkinIndiabeganin1956,firstsending12experts.In1958,theIndianAgriculturalResearchInstituteinNewDelhiwasfundedtoestablishagraduateschool,andconsultantsandvisitingprofessorsweresent.Fromthebeginning,thisworkwasacooperativeprojectbetweentheFoundationandthecentralandprovincialgovernmentsofIndia,newlyestablishedagriculturaluniversitiesinvariousregions,andtheIndianAgriculturalResearchCouncil,basicallyfollowingtheMexicangovernment'smodelofallocatingland.NotonlyagriculturalschoolsbutalsocountlessexperimentalfieldshavebeenestablishedthroughoutIndia.Atthattime,itwasproposedthatthisawardshouldbegiventotheRockefellerFoundationcollective.
AnotherimportantachievementoftheRockefellerFoundationwastheagreementwiththeFordFoundationin1959toestablishtheWorldRiceResearchInstituteinthePhilippines,includingproduction,distributionandutilizationofresults.ThePhilippinegovernmentallocatedland,Fordinvested7millionU.S.dollarsfortheconstruction,andRockefellerprovidedtechnicalguidance,administrativemanagementandoperatingexpenses,about500,000U.S.dollarsayear.Thisresearchinstituteishuge,well-equipped,andhas200acresofirrigationtestfields.Itofficiallyopenedin1962.Theboardofdirectorshasrepresentativesfromsixcountriesandregions,fromThailand,Japan,India,thePhilippines,theUnitedStatesandTaiwan.ThepersonwhopresidedovertheexperimentwasanIndianexpert,andmostofthestaffcamefromcountriesandregionsrichinriceinSoutheastAsia.Ithascollectedmorethan6000kindsofricefrommorethan70countriesintheworldforexperiments,fromwhichimprovedvarietiesareselected,processedandrefrigerated,classifiedintocategories,andmarkedwithcharacteristicsforexchangebycountriesallovertheworld.Thismodelwillbeexpandedtoothercountriesinthefuture.Thereare16internationalagriculturalcentersintheworld.
In1963,atthe50thanniversaryofthefoundation’sestablishment,fivenewpriorityissueswereidentified:controllingtheworld’spopulation.Exceptforthelastitem,thetargetsarealldevelopingcountries.
InviewofthedenselypopulatedAsiancountries,thelandissmallandthepopulationislarge,thefoundationputsmoreemphasisongeneticresearchtoincreasetheyieldperunitareawhilemaintainingsustainablelandcultivation.Thegoalistoincreasericeproductionby20%throughbiotechnologyin2005withoutreducinglandquality.ThisinternationalricebiotechnologyresearchprojectfocusedonAsiabeganin1984.Atfirst,itfocusedonthebioengineeringresearchofriceseedgenes,andfundedCornellUniversitytodevelopricegenepedigreestospreadtorice-producingcountriesaroundtheworld.Thisisalong-termplan.Aftercertainresultshavebeenachievedinscientificresearch,thefocuswillbeonpersonneltraining,technologytransferandthecreationoftheabilitytocontinuethisworkindependentlyinAsiancountriesinthefuture.Sofar,ithascooperatedwith350scientistsinAsiaandotherregions.From1984to1998,thescholarshipofthisprojecthastrained183expertsinvariouscountries,manyofwhomhavebecomethebackboneofthisfieldintheirowncountries,andcontinuetoleadresearchanddevelopment.Internationalexchange.Thelatestachievementisthediscoverythatthereare8foodcropsthatsharechromosomalcharacteristicswithrice,sotheachievementsinriceresearchcanalsobeusedforthesefoodcrops.InChina,cooperationinagriculturalscienceisalsooneofthepriorities.
InAfrica,since1988,thefoundationhasmainlycarriedoutthisprojectinKenya,Malawi,UgandaandZimbabwe,butbasedonitscharacteristics,thegoalsandpracticesofAsiaaredifferent,butThesameappliestopromotingnewtechnologiesandcultivatingtalents.
HumanitiesandSocialSciences
TheRockefellerFoundationhasalwaysfocusedonmedicineandagricultureintheearlystage,aswellasothernaturalsciences,andpaidlittleattentiontosocialsciences.Staffmembersdissatisfiedwiththisphenomenoncalledthefoundation"capturedbyagroupofdoctors",whichisinseparablefromtheleadingthoughtofFrederickGates.However,asearlyas1918,undertheinsistenceofExecutiveSecretaryGreen,thegovernmentresearchinstitutewasfundedandlatermergedintothefamousBrookingsInstitution,whichwastheearliestsocialscienceprojectfundedbythefoundation.TheprojectGreenproposedatthattimewasthestudyoflaborrelations.Duetotheoccurrenceofalaborwaverelatedtothefoundation’scompany,bloodyconflictsoccurred,andpublicopinionwascriticizedandsuspiciousofthefoundationitself.Thisstudywasaborted.
Thefoundation'sformalinclusionofhumanitiesandsocialsciencesbeganwhenFosdickbecameitspresidentin1936.Hehimselfisalawyerandhasservedasthepresidentfor12years,whichhasagreatinfluenceonthedirectionoftheRockefellerFoundation'swork.AftertheGreatDepression,ontheeveofWorldWarII,theentireWesternsocietyfeltasenseofcrisis.Peoplehavewitnessedtheeconomiccollapseandsocialcrisisintherapidgrowthofproductivity,aswellastheextremepovertyofthebroadmassescoexistingwithhugewealth;realizingthatmaterialwealthandscientificdevelopmentnotonlydonotnecessarilybenefitmankind,butcanalsobecomeadisaster,sothe1920sand1930sAperiodofgreatdevelopmentinsocialsciences.Fosdickbelongstothosewhohavesuchastrongconsciousness.Heconstantlyemphasizedthatifwecan'tfindawaytosolvetheincreasinglyseriousproblemsincomplexsocialandinterpersonalrelationships,medicineandsciencewilllosetheirmeaninginthisworld.Hescreamedthattheconquestofnaturebyhumansismoredangerousthantheabilityofhumanstocontrolthemselves.Therefore,headvocatedthatthescopeofpublicwelfareundertakingsshouldbeexpandedtofocusonsocialissuesandhumanrelationsissues,andheshoulddohisbesttoimplementtheworkofthefoundationduringhis12-yeartenure.
ThatistheleadingthoughtofitsdirectorLamer.Lammermajoredinpsychology,andassoonashetookoffice,hedecidedtotakesocialsciencesasthecentraltaskandproceededwithitwithgreatenthusiasm.Thefundhasonlyexistedfor7years,withanallocationof41millionU.S.dollarsforthedevelopmentofsocialsciences.ThemostimportantcontributionwasthesponsorshipoftheestablishmentoftheSocialScienceResearchCouncilin1923.Sofar,theorganizationisstilltheUnitedStatestopromotethedevelopmentofvarioussocialsciences.Themostimportantandauthoritativeinstitutionforexchangesandcooperation.ItsfundingforsocialscienceresearchincludestheBrookingsInstitution,thePacificInternationalSociety,theNationalBureauofEconomicResearch,theUniversityofChicago,theUniversityofWisconsin,thespecialprojectsofHarvardUniversityandtheInstituteofHumanRelationsatYaleUniversity.Inaddition,therearemanyEuropeancountries.Individualstudiesofuniversitiesandindividuals.
AftertheRockefellerFoundationtookovertheLauraMemorialFundin1928,theworkonsocialsciencesanditsfundingmodelwereinherited,andtheDepartmentofSocialScienceswasestablished.Thefirstthingthissectorencounteredwasthestockmarketcrashof1929andtheGreatDepressionthatfollowed.Intheearly1930s,thefoundationallocated1.5millionUSdollarstoalleviatethesufferingcausedbytheeconomicdepression,andtheboardofdirectorsdesignatedaspecialgrouptoberesponsiblefortheuseofthismoney,includingfundingfortheBrookingsInstitution,theSocialScienceResearchCouncil,andAmericancities.Associationsandotherorganizationsconductedresearchoneconomicandsocialphenomenaatthetime,andalsofundedthegovernment'sNationalBureauofEconomicResearchfor5millionUSdollars.
AfterFosdicktookoffice,thefoundationreachedaconsensusandmadeaunifieddecisiontousesocialscienceasanewbreakthrough.Therearethreekeypointsidentified:economicstability,publicadministrationandinternationalrelations.
Thefirsttermis"economicstability"ratherthangeneraleconomics,whichistargeted.Theleadingideaisthateconomistsinthepastputforwardvarioushypothesesandtheories,withmoreimaginationbutinsufficientresearchonevidenceandinduction.Withadvancedresearchmethods,itshouldbeadvocatedtoreplaceconjectureswithscientificallyverifiedfactsandknowledge.Therearetworesearchdirectionsproposed:improvingthestatisticalrecordsofbusinesscyclesinordertofindoutitsvariouscausesmoreaccurately;exploringpracticalmeasurestoreducetheharmcausedbyeconomicinstability.Thefoundationhasallocatedmillionsofdollarsforthisresearchinthepast20years,andthefundingobjectshavegreaterdevelopmentonthebasisofinheritingtheaforementionedLauraMemorialFund,includingrelevantdepartments,projectsandindividualsofuniversitiesathomeandabroad.Itisdifficulttolist.ProminentamongthemaretheFinancialandEconomicInformationCenteroftheInternationalAlliance,theInstituteofStatisticsatOxfordUniversityintheUnitedKingdomonexperienceandquantification,theDepartmentofAppliedEconomicsattheUniversityofCambridge,thestudyoftheeconomicconsequencesofgovernmentfinanceatColumbiaUniversityintheUnitedStates,andthesocietyattheUniversityofChicago.Researchonscience,anthropologyandpsychology,theFoodResearchInstituteofStanfordUniversity,HarvardUniversityonthelong-termproblemoftheallocationofnationalresourcesintheprocessofchangesintheUSeconomicstructure,andsoon.TheEconomicResearchInstituteofNankaiUniversityinChinabecamethefocusofRockefellerFoundationfundinginAsiashortlyafteritsestablishmentin1928.Asaresult,ithasachievedgreaterdevelopmentandmadeachievementsinresearchtopicsrelatedtoreality.Ontheotherhand,althoughthefoundationemphasizeslinkingwithreality,itisnoteagerforquicksuccess.Forexample,since1940,thefoundationhasallocatedfundstoconductresearchonAmericaneconomichistorythroughtheSocialScienceResearchCouncilinorderto"trueunderstanding"ofthereasons,paths,andsignificanceofchangesintheAmericaneconomy..ThisdonationformorethantenconsecutiveyearshasgreatlyimprovedthelevelofAmericaneconomichistoryandmadeitarecognizeddiscipline(thestudyofeconomichistorywasalsotheearliestprojectofCarnegie.In1902,theCarnegieInstituteselectedoneassoonasitwasestablished.CriticalhistoriansandeconomistswroteAmericaneconomichistory,butitdidnotcontinuelater).
Intermsofadministrativemanagement,themainpurposeofthefoundation'sprojectistoprovidethegovernmentwithqualifiedstafftomeettherapidlyexpandingneedsofthegovernmentafterRoosevelt's"NewDeal"inthe1940s.Forthispurpose,thefoundationdonatedfundstoaseriesofuniversitiestocultivatesuchtalents,especiallythepioneeringprogramtoestablishtheGraduateSchoolofAdministrationatHarvardUniversityandtheestablishmentofin-servicecivilservantstrainingattheAmericanUniversityinWashington.Duringthe30yearsfromthe1920stothe1950s,thisdonationamountedto11millionU.S.dollars,excludingotherindividualdonations.AnotherspecialtaskistoestablishapublicadministrationexchangeofficeinChicagotoprovidecivilservantsfromvariousgovernmentdepartmentswithopportunitiesforcross-industryexchangesofworkexperienceandresearchresults.Thiswillhelpimprovethequalityofcivilservants,broadentheirhorizons,andpromote"teamworkandtheestablishmentofacertainThiskindofprofessionalethicsstandards"haveplayedanirreplaceablerole.
Thefoundationhasalong-termfocuswhenfundingsocialscienceandhumanitiesresearch.Relevantpersonsinchargeofthefoundationrealizedthatthiskindofresearchcannotachieveimmediateresults.Moreover,unlikenaturalsciences,manyissuescannotbeagreeduponandwillhavetobedebatedoveralongperiodoftime.However,theyareconvincedthatpeople’svaluesandinterpersonalrelationshipsDeepeningunderstandingisthekeytohumanprogressandhappiness,sowedon’thesitatetoallocatehugesumsofmoneytosuchprojects.IntheUnitedStates,animportantprojectinitiatedbytheFoundationisthestudyoflawandpoliticalphilosophythatbeganin1952.Thepurposeistohelpanewgenerationofscholarswhohavegrownupafterthewartoin-depthresearchinthisfield.TheclassicalpoliticalandphilosophicaltheoriesofStokes,Locke,Burke,etc.questioncontemporaryreligiousandeconomicforces,aswellastheconceptsoffreedomandjustice.Alargenumberofoutstandingpoliticalideologicalscholarsandbooksemergedinthe1950sand1960swiththefundingofthisproject,andpublished40importantbooksinthepasttenyears.Thefoundationevenbegantofundsomecutting-edgetopicsinthe1960s,suchas:internationallawofouterspace,outerspaceinworldpolitics,andsoon.
Literatureandartarealsotheobjectsfundedbythefoundation,focusingontheclassicalaspectsintheearlydays.Forexample,Princeton,Harvard,Yale,Chicago,Michiganandotherprestigiousuniversitieshavereceivedsubstantialfundingforart,archaeology,ancienthistory,classicalliterature,artmuseums,andarchaeologicalexcavationsinGreece,Rome,andEgypt.Afterthe1930s,thedirectionofthepastandthepresentwasgraduallychanged,andthefocusoffundingwaschangedtoencourageartisticinnovationandoutstandingtalentsinthisfield,aswellasartgroups,schoolsandotherinstitutions.ThecontributionoftheFoundationtothedevelopmentofAmericandramainthe1930sand1940siswidelyrecognized.Itfundedthedramaticprofessionalactivitiesthatflourishedinvariousuniversitiesatthattime,andthroughtheNationalTheaterConferenceandtheDramaAssociationoftheAmericanWritersUnion,itsponsoredyoungplaywrights,directors,andstagedesigners.Overahundredpeoplehavebeenbeneficiariesin17years.Thereisalsoaprogramtofundyoungandfledglingwritersandartists,manyofwhomlaterbecamefamous.Someexchangeactivitiesarealsoincluded.Forexample,thefamousGermandramatistBrecht'svisittotheUnitedStatesin1934wasfundedbythefoundation.Themosteye-catchingisthedonationofmorethan15millionUSdollarstotheLincolnCenterfortheArtsinNewYorktobuilditintooneofthelargestcomprehensiveperformingartsfacilitiesintheUnitedStates.OthersuccessfulonesincludedonatingmoneytotheAmericanMuseumofModernArttosetupafilmlibrary(atotalofUS$2milliondonatedinafewyears),andworkingwiththeCarnegieFoundationandtheFordFoundationtofundAmericanTVeducationchannels.
AfterWorldWarII,theHooverInstitutionandmanyuniversitiessuchasYale,California,Washington,Chicagoandotheruniversitieswerethefirsttofundtheconstructionandarchivalpreservationoflibraries.TheinitialstageoftherestorationoftheancientMayancityinTikal,Guatemalain1956wasalsocarriedoutbytheRockefellerFoundationtofundthePennStateMuseum.
Onthe200thanniversaryofthefoundingoftheUnitedStatesin1986,thefoundationfundedtherecordingof7000setsofAmericanmusicanthologies,whichwereselectivelygiventolibraries,musicschoolsandothernon-profitorganizations,called"giventoAgiftfromtheAmericanpeople".
Atthe50thanniversaryofitsfoundingin1963,thefoundation’scumulativeexpenditureonsocialscienceswasequivalenttohalfofthatformedicineandnaturalsciencesinthesameperiod.
Racialissues
TheRockefellerfamilyhasatraditionofpayingattentiontoblackissues.The"GeneralEducationAssociation"establishedbyRockefellerpriortothefoundationwasoriginallyintendedtobenamedtheGeneralAssociationofBlackEducation.Atthattime,thecompulsoryeducationsystemhadnotyetbeenimplementedintheSouth,andtheentirebasiceducationwasveryweak.Inviewofthefactthatthereistoomuchresistancetodirectlysolvetheproblemofblackschools,the"GeneralEducationAssociation"establishedaprojectinthe1920stotrainsoutherneducationexperts,bothblackandwhite,forfutureneeds.TheuniversityselectedtoaccomplishthistaskwasFiskUniversityinNashville.In1924,theRockefellerEducationAssociationandCarnegieandotherfoundationspledgedtodonateatotalof$1milliontotheuniversity.Thisprojectlastedfor30years,andasaresult,almostalltheprincipalsofsouthernblackcollegesanduniversitiesweretrainedhere.Itnotonlyprovidesextremelyvaluabletalentsforblackeducation,butalsoincreasestheself-confidenceofblacksandshowsthetalentsandpotentialofblackstowhites.Thesignificanceofthiseffectisinestimable.
Thissituationbegantochangewhenthecivilrightsmovementroseinthe1960s,andbegantocooperatewithsomeblackcivilrightsorganizations.In1967,theRockefellerFoundationsummarizeditsworkinthisareaoverthepastfewdecades,anddecidedtoshiftitsfocustoslumhealthcareandcultivatinglower-levelblackleaders,andtochangethepastpracticeofcultivatingmiddle-classblackchildren.Fundingintermediarieshavealsobeenchangedfromwhiteupper-levelinstitutionstosomeinfluentialblackorganizations.However,theRockefellerFoundationismainlycloselyrelatedtoblackorganizations.Whenitwasfounded,theblackmovementhadenteredanewstage.Manyblackcivilrightsorganizationswereestablishedoneafteranother.Theirworkonblackeducation,welfareandequalrightsbecamethefoundation’sregularprojectsFundingobject.Inaddition,therearemanyunplannedtemporaryspecialassistancetocivilrightsleaders,suchaslitigationcases,anddirectfundingtocivilrightsleaderssuchasMartinLutherKingwhentheyareinspecialneeds.
Intermsofblackhighereducation,thefoundation’sworkincludes:
Supportsomesouthernuniversitiestorecruitblackstudentsforthefirsttime;improvethequalityofteachingintheoriginalblackcollegesanduniversities;SomeuniversitiessuchasWashington,Oberlin,etc.setupsummerclassestoexpandtheranksofblackswhomeettheenrollmentstandards.Bythe50thanniversaryofthefoundation'sfoundingin1963,thefundsusedforthisprojecthadaccumulatedto$85million.
TheFoundation’smuseumprojectalsofundedtheCochranGallerytoorganizeanexhibition"FacingHistory:TheImageofBlackPeopleinAmericanArt(1710-1940)"in1940.ThisisthefirstsystematicreviewofhowmainstreamAmericanpaintersrepresentthehistoryofblacks.
EqualOpportunity
Intheearlydays,theRockefellerFoundationseldomengagedindirectsocialequalityissues.In1963,theboardofdirectorsredefinedthefoundation'sworkprioritiesandputforwardfivepoints:conqueringhunger,controllingtheworld'spopulation,selectivelystrengtheningcertaincollegesanduniversitiesandresearchinstitutionsindevelopingcountries,assistingculturaldevelopment,andstrivingforequalopportunitiesforallAmericancitizens.Tothisend,theDepartmentofEqualOpportunitywasestablished.Itsstartingpointis:ThecurrentopportunitiesforAmericancitizensareunequal,andeffortsneedtobemadetoeliminatetheminseveralways.Thespecificapproachistotargetpoorcommunities.Amongthem,employmentandeducationarethekey,andthetwocomplementeachother.Theincreaseinemploymentcanleadtoaseriesofcommunityconstructionandimprovementofthequalityoflife,andeducationcanopenthedoortoemploymentopportunities.Therefore,sincethe1990s,theFoundationhassupporteda"SchoolDevelopmentPlan",thecontentofwhichistoorganizeadultsinacommunityandworkaroundtheirchildren’seducation,includingactivelyparticipatinginschoolimprovementdecisionsinthecommunityandforimprovementSuggestionsonteachingquality,etc.Atthesametime,thefoundationalsosupportsthecivilrightsworkofsomecommunitiestoeliminatetheremnantsofracismasanintegralpartofequalopportunities.
"Equalopportunity"inevitablyinvolvesethnicminorities.Therefore,underthisproject,theFoundationsupportstheimprovementoftheconditionsofurbanethnicminorities,especiallytheimprovementofurbanprimaryandsecondaryschools,trainingofblackteachersandprincipals,researchingthereasonsforthelong-termexistenceofurbanslums,andtrainingofleadersofethnicminoritiesinallwalksoflife.
Comprehensivecommunityconstructionisamajoriteminthisfield.Thefoundationinitiatedthe"NationalCommunityDevelopmentAction".Inadditiontoitsownfunding,itcooperateswiththegovernment'sMinistryofHousingandalsoraisesfundsfromothersources,whichiscarriedoutonalargescalethroughoutthecountry.Thisplancarriedoutthreeroundsoffund-raisingactivities.Thelastroundendedinthemid-1990s.ThisroundraisedUS$25.3billionin10years,plusthefundsallocatedbythelocalgovernmenttotalingUS$2billion.Thisshowsthescaleofthisplan.Thefoundationpublishedaresearchreportentitled"RenewingtheDeedsofCommunityBuildingandtheFutureofAmericanCities",whichsummarizedtheexperienceofcommunitybuildingnationwideinthepast20years.ThisreporthasbeenwidelyusedandhasbecomeaguideforcommunitybuildingintheUnitedStates.
Bytheendofthe20thcentury,thefoundationlaunchedaplantofightthecontinuouspovertyinAmericancities.PlacessuchasWashington,Boston,andClevelandstartedpilotoperationsfirst.
ChinaCooperation
ForChina,Rockefellerwasthefirstfoundationtocomeintocontactwith,andforRockefeller,Chinawasalsoitsearliestandmostimportantoverseasworktarget.Ithadjustbeenorganizedin1913,andoneofthefirstactionswastosendamedicalteamtoChinaforinspection.
Thefoundation'sworkinChinacanbedividedintotwoparts.Amajorpioneeringworkinthefirsthalfofthe20thcenturywastheestablishmentofUnionMedicalCollegeanditsaffiliatedhospitals.Inthe32yearsfrom1916to1947,thetotalfundingofthefoundationforthecreation,maintenanceanddevelopmentofConcordwasUS$44.65million.Otherfundingincludes:helpingtocreatevariousdisciplinesofnaturalsciences,suchasbiology,chemistry,physics,geology,archaeology,genetics,agriculturalsciences,andbotany;promotingruralconstructionandcarryingoutcivilianeducationcampaigns;helpingtocreatesociology(includinghumanTohelpChinesescholarscommunicatewiththeWest,theEconomicResearchInstituteofNankaiUniversity,whichiscontinuouslyfunded,wasthemostimportantresearchinstituteforpracticaleconomicproblemsinChinabefore1949.
Ifthefoundationisallocatedtorelevantuniversities,theuniversitieswillinviteagroupoffamousChinesescholarstogivelecturesintheUnitedStatesforoneyear.ScholarsinvitedunderthisprojectincludeLuoChangpei,FengYoulan,LiangSicheng,FeiXiaotong,etc.Severalprofessors.