Back When The Rich Actually Cared
Throughout history, some of the world's most influential people became known not only for what they accomplished, but also for how they used their resources, influence, or time to help others. Their charitable efforts took many forms, from funding hospitals and schools to organizing relief efforts and personally serving communities in need. The scale of their work varied considerably, but each of these figures left a notable record of generosity that extended beyond their careers and personal achievements.
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1. Andrew Carnegie
Industrialist Andrew Carnegie viewed his wealth as something that should be shared. After making millions as a businessman, Carnegie built libraries across the world (and funded thousands more). He also donated to universities, cultural institutions, and dozens of other public projects.
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2. John D. Rockefeller
Rockefeller gave millions of dollars to causes like education, medicine, science, and public health. Institutions like the University of Chicago and the Rockefeller Foundation exist because of his generosity. Rockefeller made his wealth through controversial business practices, but his philanthropy is easy to appreciate.
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3. Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa dedicated her life to serving people experiencing extreme poverty and illness. Through the Missionaries of Charity, she established homes, clinics, orphanages, and other services in communities around the world. Her work made her one of the most recognizable charitable figures of the 20th century, although her methods and some aspects of her organization have also faced criticism.
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4. Florence Nightingale
Florence Nightingale is best remembered for transforming nursing, but her charitable work extended well beyond caring for individual patients. She advocated for improved sanitation, better hospital conditions, and reforms that benefited patients and medical workers alike. Her efforts helped make health care safer while opening new opportunities for women in nursing.
5. George Peabody
Peabody earned his wealth in finance, but he eventually gave away the majority of his fortune. He supported education, libraries, museums, and emergency relief in both the United States and Europe. Peabody was one of the biggest philanthropists of the 19th century.
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6. Julius Rosenwald
Julius Rosenwald was part of a successful business partnership with Sears, Roebuck & Company. He used his personal wealth to improve education for Black children in the South. The Rosenwald Fund helped build thousands of schools for communities excluded from educational funding.
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7. Madam C.J. Walker
Madam C.J. Walker became a millionaire by revolutionizing haircare products for Black women. She gave money to organizations serving Black communities and also promoted schools and organizations that challenged racial injustice. Walker was one of the first American women to become a millionaire by building her own business.
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8. Clara Barton
Known best for founding the American Red Cross, Barton spent years helping soldiers and civilians during times of crisis. She helped organize relief for numerous major emergencies and carved out a place in American history. Barton was always willing to help however she could, even if that meant delivering goods to people personally.
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9. Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin contributed to his community in ways that went far beyond his work as a statesman and inventor. He helped establish a subscription library, a fire company, a hospital, and an institution that became the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin's approach to civic improvement demonstrated how organized community action could address everyday problems.
10. Jane Addams
Jane Addams was a reformer who wanted to help immigrants and low-income families. She founded Hull House, which offered necessary educational and cultural services to Chicago's neediest. Additionally, her life and work played a major role in the development of social work as a profession.
11. Albert Schweitzer
Musician and philosopher Schweitzer gave up his career to practice medicine. He built a hospital in modern-day Gabon and spent 50 years providing medical care. He also helped make his name synonymous with medical philanthropy through his activism.
12. W.E.B. Du Bois
Du Bois was a champion for Black Americans who spent his life trying to better their circumstances. He fought for civil rights, founded The Crisis publication, and started the NAACP. Du Bois wasn't a traditional philanthropist, but he worked to make life better for others.
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13. Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt used her public position to advocate for people who often had little political influence. She supported civil rights, children's welfare, workers' rights, refugees, and international human rights initiatives. Rather than treating charitable work as separate from politics, she pushed for social reforms that could address hardship on a much larger scale.
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14. Helen Keller
Few people have overcome more personal challenges than Helen Keller. She used her fame to advocate for the blind and those with disabilities. Keller worked internationally to raise awareness and funds for those in need.
15. Paul Newman
Paul Newman was famous enough as an actor that he could have retired and lived comfortably. Instead, Newman focused on donating money to his favorite charities. He and his friends created Newman's Own, a food company that funds other organizations.
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16. Danny Thomas
Danny Thomas was an actor and comedian who made a promise to build a children's hospital. After reaching success, he founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. He ensured that no family would be denied treatment because of their financial situation.
17. Oprah Winfrey
Talk show host Oprah Winfrey has given away hundreds of millions of dollars throughout her career. She has supported schools, disaster areas, health care, and underprivileged children. Winfrey founded the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa.
18. Bill Gates
Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates has donated time, attention, and money to charitable causes. His Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funds thousands of organizations and initiatives. Gates prefers to make big donations in order to make large-scale differences.
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19. Warren Buffett
Buffett has stated on numerous occasions that he plans to give away the vast majority of his fortune. While he has donated to numerous charities, much of his money has gone to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He inspired other billionaires to donate via The Giving Pledge.
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20. Princess Diana
Princess Diana used her international fame to draw attention to causes that weren't always considered glamorous or comfortable. She supported organizations helping people with HIV/AIDS, homelessness, mental health challenges, and other difficult circumstances. Her willingness to interact personally with people facing hardship helped change public perceptions and brought enormous attention to the charities she supported.
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