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Johns Hopkins left his family’s Maryland home at the age of 17 to work for an uncle in Baltimore. At the age of 24, he set up his own mercantile house. He invested heavily in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and became its director in 1847. Later on, he served as the company’s Chairman of Finance.

Hopkins was a wealthy entrepreneur who devoted his life to philanthropy and abolitionism. When he died on December 24, 1973, Hopkins left $7 million worth of stocks at Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. As per his request, the money was used to finance the foundation of the Johns Hopkins Colored Children Orphan Asylum. Since Hopkins also specified his desire to establish educational institutions, the Johns Hopkins University was founded in 1876. Other Johns Hopkins institutions were set up in the following years, including the Johns Hopkins Press, Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Throughout his life, Johns Hopkins openly expressed his opposition to slavery and his unwavering support for quality education and medicine for the poor, elderly, women, and blacks. The various institutions brought to life by his passionate desire to serve others are among the best resources in the fields of education, medicine, research, patient care, and public service. Johns Hopkins University’s mission epitomizes their founder’s philosophy in life: expanding knowledge and using this knowledge for the good of humanity.

Johns Hopkins’ legacy lives in the institutions he once only dreamed of creating.

Learn more about noted media personality and active philanthropist Dr. Laura Schlessinger on the Faces of Philanthropy site.

Laura Schlessinger recently appeared on a Today show segment and caused considerable controversy with her no-nonsense advice.

Keep yourself up to date with Dr Laura on her personal YouTube channel.