John D. Rockefeller 3rd papers, 1906-1978
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Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Rockefeller, John D., III (John Davison) (1906-1978), Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Asia Society, and Population Council
- Extent:
- 102.34 Cubic Feet Approximately 265 boxes
- Language:
- English
Background
- Scope and content:
-
The papers of John D. Rockefeller 3rd (1906-1978), document Rockefeller's life and philanthropic activities. They provide information on his education; relationships with family, friends, and business associates; travels; and social concerns, including his lifelong involvement in four major areas: population, Asia, philanthropy, and the arts. The records document his concern for the projects and institutions he initiated and developed.
- Biographical / historical:
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For lengthy biographical sketches of John D. Rockefeller 3rd, see Series 1 (box 1, folder 10) and Series 2 (box 23, folders 203-205) of this collection.
- Acquisition information:
- The papers of John D. Rockefeller 3rd were transferred to the Archive Center from the Rockefeller family offices in Manhattan. Series 1 (Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller Files) and Series 2 (Rockefeller Family and Associates Files) were maintained within the general files department and the archives, the departments responsible for recordkeeping in the family office. The majority of the material designated as Series 3 (Office and Home Files) was maintained in the personal office and homes of Mr. Rockefeller until his death in 1978.
- Custodial history:
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Until the records were processed in final form, Series 1 was maintained at the Archive Center as a discrete series within the Rockefeller Family Archives, RG 2 (Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller, 1897-1961); Series 2 was maintained and described as part of the long alphabetical sequence of files that constitutes the Rockefeller Family Archives, RG 3 (Rockefeller Family & Associates, 1962-1978). The archives department of the family office discontinued RG 3 following the death of Mr. Rockefeller 3rd. The current series titles in the John D. Rockefeller 3rd Papers were carried forward from the previous classifications to emphasize this aspect of the provenance.
The general files department created and maintained a card index for the records transferred to the department. This practice continued until the end of 1996. Indexed material was given a markup--either an arbitrary number or a brief title--that was then entered on the relevant index card. This card index, which can be consulted, contains references to specific documents and is not exhaustive. To facilitate use of the index card file, original folder titles have largely been retained except where doing so would hinder access.
Series 3 is, for the most part, composed of material that was not maintained by general files. It includes material that was kept for then-current use in the office and homes of John D. Rockefeller 3rd by Mr. Rockefeller and his associates. It also includes accretions transferred to the Archive Center in the years following the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller, among them files from the office of Joyce Tait, Mr. Rockefeller's personal secretary, and files used by Peter Johnson, an associate of Mr. Rockefeller, in his preparation of the two-volume biography of John D. Rockefeller 3rd that he coauthored with John Harr.
- Arrangement:
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The papers of John D. Rockefeller 3rd are divided into three series:
Series 1 - Office of the Messrs. Rockefeller Files, (1906-1961)-1969.
Series 2 - Rockefeller Family and Associates Files, 1942-(1962-1977).
Series 3 - Office and Home Files, 1928-(1955-1978).
Series 4 - Audiovisual materials.
Due to overlap in years and subject matter among the series, please consult the descriptions and folder listings for all three series when researching a topic.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
- Subjects:
- Rockefeller family -- Art collections
Population
Arts
Philanthropy - Places:
- Asia
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
Open for research with select materials restricted as noted. Brittle or damaged items are available at the discretion of RAC. Material in the Rockefeller family collections that provides the names, correspondence, or activities of living members of the Rockefeller family, and/or documents the net wealth of any Rockefeller family members, is restricted from access. Researchers interested in accessing digital media (floppy disks, CDs, DVDs, etc.) or audiovisual material (audio cassettes, VHS, etc.) in this collection must use an access surrogate. The original items may not be accessed because of preservation concerns. To request an access surrogate be made, or if you are unsure if there is an access surrogate, please contact an archivist.
The bulk of the collection is open for research. Material has been closed that relates to the life and work of living members of the Rockefeller family or to the net wealth of the family or of a single family member. Also, material has been closed that relates to personnel matters or to searches for corporate philanthropic officers.
- Location of this collection:
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