In 1969, when the Marriott family contributed $1 million for Library collections, they planted the seed for what is now one of the largest research libraries in the nation. But their penchant for turning small beginnings into large-scale successes began long before the founding of the Marriott Library.

The Marriott empire made its humble beginnings in 1927, when John Willard Marriott, Sr. purchased the rights to sell Allen & Wright (A & W) root beer in Washington D.C. Mr. Marriott’s wife’s flair for Mexican food led to the very popular Hot Shoppe restaurants and the Marriott food service tradition, including the first in-flight airline catering service, was born. In 1957, the Marriotts’ first hotel – the Marriott Motor Lodge – opened in Arlington Virginia. Today, sons of the late Bill and Alice Marriott, J. Willard (Bill) Marriott, Jr. and Richard E. (Dick) Marriott are responsible for what is now one of the largest empires in the hospitality industry.

The Library has benefited from the Marriotts’ generosity many-fold. A sizable donation for collections from Mrs. Marriott in 1988 established the Alice Sheets Marriott Endowment for the Fine Arts and Humanities. And several gifts made between 1990 and 1995 created the Marriott Endowment Library Fund, which provides important funding for Library improvements and growth. Most recently, two major gifts were made by the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation for the Library’s Renovation-Innovation Building Project.

Biography of John Willard Marriott, Sr.

Biography of Alice Sheets Marriott