Bernard Baruch
A self-made Wall Street millionaire who became a trusted advisor to presidents, shaping American economic policy through two world wars.
1870–1965 (age 95)·American businessman·Birthday: August 19·The Gilded Age
Biography
Bernard Baruch was born in Camden, South Carolina, the son of a German immigrant doctor. He made his fortune on Wall Street in his twenties through shrewd speculation and a deep understanding of market psychology, becoming a millionaire by age thirty. His true legacy, however, was forged in Washington. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson tapped him to lead the War Industries Board, where he marshaled the nation's economic might for the war effort. Baruch became the archetype of the 'park bench statesman,' holding informal but influential meetings on a bench in Lafayette Park, dispensing advice to leaders from FDR to JFK. He was a key architect of the post-war economic order and a vocal advocate for international control of atomic energy, blending financial acumen with a profound sense of public duty.
The Gilded Age
1860–1882
Born during or after the Civil War, they built industrial America — the railroads, the steel mills, the first skyscrapers. An era of massive wealth, massive inequality, and the belief that the future belonged to whoever could build it fastest.
Bernard was born in 1870, placing them squarely in The Gilded Age. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bernard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1870
Bernard's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1870Born
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1875Started school
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1883Became a teenager
President: Chester A. Arthur
1886Could drive
Statue of Liberty dedicated in New York Harbor
President: Grover Cleveland
1888Could vote
President: Grover Cleveland
1891Turned 21
President: Benjamin Harrison
1900Turned 30
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1910Turned 40
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 50
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 60
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 70
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 80
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1965Died at 95
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
Key Achievements
- Served as Chairman of the War Industries Board, mobilizing the U.S. economy for World War I.
- Authored the 'Baruch Plan' in 1946, proposing international control of atomic energy to the United Nations.
- Was a key economic advisor to Presidents Wilson, Roosevelt, and Truman.
- Amassed a personal fortune as a master speculator on the New York Stock Exchange.
Did You Know?
He famously conducted official business from a park bench near the White House.
Despite his wealth, he refused a salary for all his government positions.
He was an early and vocal critic of stock market speculation before the 1929 crash.
His mother's maiden name, Mannes, became his middle name.
““To me, old age is always fifteen years older than I am.””
