George Eastman - Biography, Legacy

Inventor, manufacturer, and philanthropist, born in Waterville, New York, USA. Interested in photographic processes from an early age, he abandoned banking for photography and produced a flexible role film (1884) and the ‘Kodak’ box camera (1888). His experiments with Thomas Edison made motion pictures possible. Eastman formed the Eastman Kodak Co in 1892 and introduced the legendary Brownie camera eight years later. Aggressive and hard-driving, he bought out rivals or drove them out of business, and his company soon dominated the industry. One of the nation's leading philanthropists, he founded the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and supported various other educational institutions. His home in Rochester is a major photography museum.

For the Italian actor, see George Eastman (actor).

George Eastman (July 12, 1854 – March 14, 1932) founded the Eastman Kodak Co.

Biography

Early years

Eastman was born in Waterville, some 20 miles southwest of Utica, in Oneida County, New York. He was the third and youngest child of George Washington Eastman and Maria Kilbourn, both of the bordering town of Marshall. Two years later, his father died and Eastman left high school to support the family and had begun working as an office boy by the age of 14.

Kodak

On September M, 1888 Eastman registered the trademark Kodak, which was simply a combination of some of his favorite letters, and received a patent for his camera which used roll film.

Eastman endowed the Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester, and chose as its first director Alfred Klingenberg, who was succeeded by the American composer and conductor Howard Hanson. Hanson made Eastman's school one of the most prestigious music schools in America. Eastman was even a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national men's music fraternity.

In 1925, Eastman gave up the day-to-day management of Kodak, becoming chairman of the board. In his last two years Eastman was in great pain.

Legacy

During his lifetime, he gave away an estimated $100 million, mostly to the University of Rochester and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (under the name of "Mr. Smith"). The Rochester Institute of Technology has a building dedicated to Mr. Eastman, in recognition of his support and substantial donations. MIT has a plaque of Eastman (the rubbing of which is traditionally considered by students to bring good luck) in recognition of his donation. Eastman also made substantial gifts to the Tuskegee Institute and the Hampton Institute. Upon his death, his entire residuary estate went to the University of Rochester, where his name can be found on the Eastman Quandrangle of the River Campus. His former home at 900 East Avenue in Rochester was opened as the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in 1947. On the 100th anniversary of his birth in 1954, Eastman was honored with a postage stamp from the United States Post Office. Eastman left no children to succeed him.