Steven Fenberg
“We must embrace the power of good government.”
Editorial by Steven Fenberg
T
he United States government spread electricity throughout the nation; built highways, bridges, tunnels and water systems; financed the development of high-speed trains; helped people rebuild their lives destroyed by natural disasters; and saved thousands of homes, businesses, farms and banks from bankruptcy during the worst of the Great Depression, all with no increase in taxes or the federal debt. Then it transformed the U.S. military from 17th in size to the world’s arsenal of democracy. These monumental accomplishments were orchestrated and achieved by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) under the leadership of Jesse Holman Jones. The same successful strategies that saved the collapsed economy and militarized industry in time to fight and win World War II can be adapted now to address today’s daunting challenges. The compelling details are found in Steven Fenberg’s Emmy Award-winning documentary, Brother, Can You Spare a Billion? The Story of Jesse H. Jones and in his biography Unprecedented Power: Jesse Jones, Capitalism and the Common Good.
Through films, books, articles, exhibitions and presentations, Steven Fenberg tells stories that help institutions fulfill their missions.
Showcase
HOUSTON ENDOWMENT
Legacy Room
See the interactive Legacy Room at Houston Endowment’s new state-of-the-art headquarters. Six screens show rotating images on walls covered in photographic murals, a touchscreen displays historic images and a timeline celebrates the Joneses and the foundation’s history.
FRIENDS OF JONES HALL
Remarkable Experiences
See in nine minutes the evolution of the performing arts in Houston through the 1966 opening of the Jesse H. Jones Hall for the Performing Arts, which was home to the Houston Ballet, the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Symphony and Performing Arts Houston.
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON
HOBBY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Interview
Watch Dean Jim Granato and Steven Fenberg explore how the federal government’s Reconstruction Finance Corporation expanded the U.S. economy during the Great Depression, transformed industry in time to win World War II and how the RFC’s successful strategies can be adapted to address today’s challenges.
UNPRECEDENTED POWER:
Jesse Jones, Capitalism and the Common Good
steven fenberg
“A must-read for those wanting to learn how a great nation—and a great man—can respond to difficult challenges.”
James A. Baker III
61st U.S. Secretary of State
“Steven Fenberg has given us a wonderful biography of a man who played a critical role in the most tumultuous years of the American Century, bringing Jones back to vivid life.”
Jon Meacham
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian
UNPRECEDENTED POWER:
Jesse Jones, Capitalism and the Common Good
steven fenberg
“A must-read for those wanting to learn how a great nation—and a great man—can respond to difficult challenges.”
James A. Baker III
61st U.S. Secretary of State
“Steven Fenberg has given us a wonderful biography of a man who played a critical role in the most tumultuous years of the American Century, bringing Jones back to vivid life.”
Jon Meacham
Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian
