Brooke Astor

Bio

(1902-2007)Writer, New York socialite & philantropist. Writings include many magazine articles, two published volumes of autobiography, and two novels. Astor worked 8 years at “House and Garden,” a Conde Nast magazine. In 1953 Brooke was married for the third time to Vincent Astor. She and her husband developed the Vincent Astor Foundation, a foundation that was designed to give back to New York City. In 1977 the Astor Foundation offered a five million dollar grant to the New York Public Library if the library could raise ten million dollars. She then helped raise the ten million dollars. Among the many New York institutions to receive Astor foundation grants are the Morgan Library, the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and Columbia College. Astor served on the boards of many cultural institutions inlcuding the New York Public Library and the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Astor was named a living landmark by the New York Landmarks Conservancy.