Nelson A. Rockefeller

Vice president of the United States (1974-1977)

• Born: July 8, 1908
• Birthplace: Bar Harbor, Maine
• Died: January 26, 1979
• Place of death: New York, New York

Rockefeller, part of the legendary Rockefeller family, dominated New York politics for a quarter century and served as a leader of eastern liberal Republicans during a period when that party became increasingly conservative. His achievements as governor encompassed a wide range of areas including public works, economic reforms, crime, and social justice. As vice president during the Ford administration, Rockefeller provided needed stability in that office in the wake of Richard M. Nixon’s resignation.

Early Life

Nelson A. Rockefeller (RAW-keh-fehl-lur), the son of philanthropist John D. Rockefeller , Jr., and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, was born in Bar Harbor, Maine. His paternal grandfather was multimillionaire John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the founder of Standard Oil, and his maternal grandfather was U.S. senator Nelson Aldrich of Rhode Island. Rockefeller’s formative years were spent in New York, where he received a solid education at the Lincoln School (1914-1926).

As a member of one of the world’s wealthiest families, Rockefeller had everything he wanted and enjoyed a quality of life that was beyond the imaginations of most Americans. In 1926 he matriculated at Dartmouth College, where he became very active in fraternity life. He graduated in 1930 and, in the same year, married Mary Todhunter Clark of Philadelphia (her brother, Joseph Clark, later served as mayor of Philadelphia and was a U.S. senator). Their marriage, which produced five children, ended in divorce in 1962; the next year Rockefeller married Margaretta Fitler Murphy.

From 1930 to 1935, Rockefeller worked at the Rockefeller-owned Chase Manhattan Bank and was involved in real estate in the development of Rockefeller Center. Between 1935 and 1940 he served as the director of another family-owned corporation, the Creole Petroleum Company in South America.

Life’s Work

With the outbreak of World War II, Rockefeller’s interest in public service and politics became evident; he would spend most of the next four decades in these labors. Capitalizing on Rockefeller’s knowledge and experience in Latin America, U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (1940-1944) and then assistant secretary of state for Latin American Affairs (1944-1945). In both of these capacities, Rockefeller performed well and earned the respect of his colleagues at the State Department. After the war he mixed work on family business with public service work. Between 1950 and 1955 he held positions in the administrations of Truman (as a member on the Advisory Board on International Development of the Four Point Program) and of Eisenhower (as undersecretary of Health, Education, and Welfare and special assistant on foreign policy).

Rockefeller returned to New York and the family business in 1955 and, in 1958, was elected governor of New York. Within a year of his election, Rockefeller initiated a challenge to Vice President Richard M. Nixon for the Republican presidential nomination. Rockefeller was reelected three times as governor and served until 1973, when he resigned to address national issues through the establishment of the Committee for Critical Choices for Americans.

Rockefeller’s achievements as governor of New York were extensive and significant. He confronted the increased frequency of illegal drug use with laws that provided serious penalties for the sale or possession of drugs, leading to a national reputation as one who is tough on drug offenses. In September, 1971, prisoners in the Attica State Prison rioted and took guards and others as hostages; the prisoners wanted improved living conditions and educational programs. On September 13, Rockefeller ordered more than one thousand New York State police and National Guard troops to suppress the prisoners by force. Their attack on the prison resulted in forty deaths, including many hostages. Rockefeller was applauded by the Right and condemned by the Left.

Throughout his tenure, Rockefeller supported capital punishment and authorized more than a dozen executions. He was also identified with an extensive program of public works that included highway construction, public buildings and plazas throughout the state (including the rebuilding of the state government complex in Albany), low-income housing, and the establishment of agencies that would continue to address public works projects after he left office. Committed to expanding access to higher education for the people of New York, Rockefeller built the State University of New York system, an achievement that transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and others.

Rockefeller also managed to have the state acquire the Long Island and Metro North railroads, which supported transit in the metropolitan area. As a conservationist, he supported and achieved the acquisition and expansion of state parks throughout New York. His interest in art was not limited to his personal life; he believed that art should be public and that it should reflect the culture and values of the people. The architectural and sculptural designs of the Albany complex became critical to the success of the project. While governor, he also served as president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Rockefeller was an activist governor who took pride in bringing about change for the common good.

The crisis surrounding the resignation of Nixon in August, 1974, left a gap in the country’s leadership. In accord with the Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the sitting vice president is to be appointed the president, and a new vice president must be chosen by the new president. Gerald Ford considered two candidates: Rockefeller and George H. W. Bush. He decided to nominate Rockefeller, who was sworn in as vice president on December 19, 1974. Rockefeller served until January 20, 1977, when Ford left office.

Vice President Rockefeller had a difficult time adjusting to Washington, a place where he was not in charge. By the fall of 1975 he informed Ford that he was not interested in continuing as vice president after Ford’s term expired; Rockefeller did not appear to know that Ford was not interested in retaining him. Nonetheless, Ford awarded Rockefeller the Presidential Medal of Freedom prior to the expiration of his term.

Rockefeller returned to New York, where he continued his work in the arts and as a writer on art. On January 26, 1979, Rockefeller died from a heart attack.

Significance

As governor of New York, occasional candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, and vice president of the United States, Rockefeller represented the progressive, liberal wing of the Republican Party and was a national political force with considerable support. He left his imprint on New York through the power of his personality as well as the policies and achievements of his administration. A rather ineffectual although he proposed new policy initiatives and unelected vice president, Rockefeller nevertheless served the nation with distinction during the turbulent years immediately following the resignation of Nixon.

Rockefeller’s political legacy was augmented by his contributions to the arts. He donated countless works of art, as well as major funds to many museums and advocated public funding for the arts.

Bibliography

Colby, Gerard. Thy Will Be Done: The Conquest of the Amazon, Nelson Rockefeller, and Evangelism in the Age of Oil. New York: HarperCollins, 1995. A solid study of the complex nature of Rockefeller’s approach to the world and to justice, his faith in capitalism, his need to lead, and his desire for visibility.

Persico, Joseph E. The Imperial Rockefeller: A Biography of Nelson A. Rockefeller. New York: Pocket, 1983. A highly readable biography of Rockefeller that is generally sympathetic but not uncritical. Persico’s study remains a reliable and relevant souce.

Reich, Cary. The Life of Nelson A. Rockefeller. New York: Doubleday, 1996. The best biography of Rockefeller. Based on solid research, Reich’s interpretation is comprehensive and laudatory but still critical.

Rockefeller, David. David Rockefeller’s Memoirs. New York: Random House, 2002. A comprehensive memoir by Nelson Rockefeller’s brother, David. Includes valuable insights on Nelson’s early years and his impact as governor of New York and vice president of the United States.

Turner, Michael. The Vice President as Policy Maker: Rockefeller in the Ford White House. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1982. Turner’s book is the only study of Rockefeller as vice president. It emphasizes his impact on federal policy from late 1974 until January, 1977. Includes excellent documentation.