Richard Gilder
Richard Gilder Jr. (May 31, 1932 – May 12, 2020) was an American financier and philanthropist renowned for his success in investment management and transformative contributions to public history, urban parks, and scientific institutions.[1][2] Born in Manhattan to a fifth-generation New York family, Gilder graduated from Yale University with a degree in history and built a career on Wall Street, co-founding the brokerage firm Gilder, Gagnon, Howe & Co. in 1969, which specialized in small-cap growth stocks and achieved substantial returns through disciplined, research-driven strategies.[3][1] In 1994, he partnered with historian and entrepreneur Lewis Lehrman to establish the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, amassing over 60,000 primary documents—including letters, diaries, and maps—to advance K-12 education in U.S. history, emphasizing original sources and civic literacy amid concerns over declining historical knowledge in schools.[2][4] Gilder's philanthropy extended to revitalizing New York City's infrastructure, notably as a founding supporter of the Central Park Conservancy, which restored the park from a neglected, high-crime area in the 1980s to a world-class urban oasis through private funding and management innovations that reduced taxpayer burden.[5] He also donated significantly to the American Museum of Natural History, funding the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation, a facility enhancing public engagement with science via interactive exhibits and research spaces.[1] A proponent of free-market principles, Gilder co-founded the Club for Growth to advocate tax cuts and economic liberty, reflecting his belief in individual initiative over government intervention.[6]