Shelby White

Shelby White (born 1938) is an American investor, art collector, and philanthropist. She serves on the board of the Metropolitan Museum of Art[1] and is a founding trustee of the Leon Levy Foundation.[2]

Early life

White was born in 1938[3] and grew up in Brooklyn, NY.[4] She received a bachelor's degree from Mount Holyoke College and a master's from Columbia University.[3] After college, White married investment banker Rodney L. White, who died in 1969.[5]

In the 1970s, White married Leon Levy, an American investor and philanthropist, and she and her husband developed an interest in antiquities and started bidding at New York auctions in 1975.[3][6]

Career

Over the next several decades, White and Levy accumulated a substantial collection of objects from different time periods and international origins.[7] Many of the pieces in their collection are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[8]

In the early 1990s, White and Levy gave 16 artifacts to the British Museum after being threatened with a lawsuit.[9] In 2008, White returned 9 pieces that the Italian government suggested had been exported questionably.[10]

In 1995, White and her husband made a donation of $20 million for the renovation and expansion of the Met's Greek and Roman Galleries.[11] White has also served on the board of the American Schools of Oriental Research, an archeological organization with institutes in Cyprus, Jordan and Israel.[12]

White was also a financial journalist and wrote for publications including The New York Times.[13] In 1992, White published the book What Every Woman Should Know About Her Husband’s Money.[3]

In 2000, White was appointed to the Cultural Property Advisory Committee, a government organization formed in 1983 to help combat illicit international trade of antiquities.[9]

After her husband's death in 2003, White established the Leon Levy Foundation.[14] Through this organization, White has funded her philanthropic efforts including a $25 million donation to New York City parks in 2008,[15] $200 million to NYU for an ancient studies institute,[16] and $3.25 million for an addition to the Brooklyn Public Library in 2010.[17]

In 2017, White received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, a private philanthropic award established in 2001.[18]

References
  1. Honan, William H. (2000-08-15). "Collector Joins Artifacts Panel, Stirring Debate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  2. Kozinn, Allan (2014-05-20). "$5 Million Gift to Endow Director's Position at Brooklyn Museum". ArtsBeat. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  3. Mead, Rebecca (2007-04-02). "Den of Antiquity". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  4. Murphy, Cullen. "Hall of Fame: Philanthropists Who Follow Andrew Carnegie's Example". The Hive. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  5. "RODNEY L. WHITE, INVESTMENT AIDE; Oppenheimer Partner, 39, Drowns in Canada". The New York Times. 1969-09-15. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  6. Reif, Rita (1990-09-23). "ANTIQUES; Two Passionate Collectors Share Their Love of History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  7. Eakin, Hugh; Kennedy, Randy (2005-12-10). "Doubts on Donors' Collection Cloud Met Antiquities Project". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  8. Wilford, John Noble; Glater, Jonathan D. (2006-03-21). "N.Y.U. and Columbia to Receive $200 Million Gifts for Research". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  9. Honan, William H. (2000-08-15). "Collector Joins Artifacts Panel, Stirring Debate". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  10. Roberts, Sam (2009-10-13). "Levy Foundation Grant Helps Philharmonic and Others Digitize Archives". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  11. "Met Museum Gets Gift for Renovation". The New York Times. 1995-09-13. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  12. Reif, Rita (1990-09-23). "ANTIQUES; Two Passionate Collectors Share Their Love of History". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-12.
  13. Fabrikant, Geraldine; White, Shelby (1995-04-30). "Noblesse Oblige . . . With Strings". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-10.
  14. Kozinn, Allan (2014-05-20). "$5 Million Gift to Endow Director's Position at Brooklyn Museum". ArtsBeat. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  15. Ryzik, Melena (2008-05-24). "Big Plans for Parks". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  16. Pogrebin, Robin (2006-04-01). "$200 Million Gift Prompts a Debate Over Antiquities". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  17. Rosenberg, Eli (2013-05-09). "At Brooklyn Library's New Center, Books Are Secondary". City Room. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
  18. Murphy, Cullen. "Hall of Fame: Philanthropists Who Follow Andrew Carnegie's Example". The Hive. Retrieved 2019-04-11.
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