Join us as we dive into episode twenty of the Doneson podcast and examine the wealthiest American of all time -J.D Rockefeller. Known as the first American billionaire and the founder of Standard Oil company in 1870, he once controlled 90% of oil in the United States. His wealth grew along with the importance of gasoline during the early part of the twentieth century. However, he was not just an oil tycoon, but also an important philanthropist. He donated money to educational, religious and scientific developments. His efforts helped to eradicate disease through the developments of vaccines that saved millions of lives in America. He also gave millions to Spellman College which was a college founded to educate black women in Atlanta. The college bears the name of his wife Laura Spellman-a well-known abolitionist. However, J.D Rockefeller was also involved in various scandals. One being that his company was court ordered to be dismantled after it was in violation of anti-trust laws. Tax evasion, engaging in predatory pricing, using his charity's money for his own gain and many other financial issues were often brought to public attention. But none of these as much as the Ludlow massacre. J.D Rockefeller was known for cheating the miners. He eventually forced them out of their shacks and orchestrated the murder of 21 people including women and children from the miner's families, in order to control them and force them to bide by his rules. How do these actions reflect his leadership?
