John D. Rockefeller III, in full John Davison Rockefeller III, (born March 21, 1906, New York City, New York, U.S.—died July 10, 1978, Mount Pleasant, New York), American philanthropist, eldest of the 5 sons of John D. Rockefeller, Jr.
After graduating from Princeton University (1929), he joined the household’s enterprises, turning into, by 1931, trustee of the Rockefeller Foundation, the General Education Board, the Institute for Medical Research, the China Medical Board, and 29 different boards and committees. During World War II he served within the U.S. Navy (1942–45). Generally thereafter he shunned public life to commit his time and vitality to philanthropy and to the acquisition of an Oriental artwork assortment (bequeathed at his dying to the Asia Society, which he had helped discovered). He led the fund-raising for the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, serving as its president (1950–61) and chairman (1961–70). He was additionally related to the India International Centre in New Delhi and the International House of Japan. As eventual chairman of the Rockefeller Foundation, he gave substantial assist to worldwide businesses however donated his personal funds to discovered the Population Council (1952), a analysis centre for household planning.
His son, John (“Jay”) Davison Rockefeller IV, turned distinguished in West Virginia politics, serving as governor (1976–84) and U.S. senator (1985–2015).