William Rosenberg was an American Jewish entrepreneur best known for founding the Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in 1950 in Quincy, Massachusetts. Born in Boston on June 10, 1916 to Nathan Rosenberg and Phoebe Rosenberg née Swart, William was one of four children. Rosenberg grew up in Boston’s working-class Dorchester section and was educated in public schools. Due to financial problems, he was forced to leave school by eighth grade to help support his family, who had lost their grocery store in the Great Depression.
At the start of World War II, he joined the Bethlehem Steel Company in Hingham, Massachusetts. He would later become the first Jewish Trade union delegate. After the war, Rosenberg borrowed $1,000 to add to his $1,500 in war bonds