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Health and Medicine

Medical philanthropy is at once an intensely personal and inherently global cause.

The National Museum of American History’s collections and programs offer windows onto Americans’ experiences in giving for medicine since the late 1700s.

2015 Theme: Launch of the Philanthropy Initiative

Caption: Clockwise from top right: Bill Gates; Nina Easton, Melinda Gates, Nicholas D. Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn; Henry Timms, Premal Shah, Diana Morris, David J. Skorton, Carka Hayden, Sarah Hemminger. Photos courtesy of the National Museum of American History. 


December 1, 2015

The Philanthropy Initiative launches with the first annual Power of Giving symposium taking a broad look at philanthropy’s impact on American life with global impact.

2019 Theme: Health and Medicine

Power of Giving 2019
Download the event program (PDF)

March 19, 2019

How did philanthropy help eradicate smallpox, develop polio vaccines, and promote awareness of the AIDS virus?

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