1835-1919
Andrew Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. His father, Will, was a weaver and a follower of Chartism, a popular movement of the British working class that called for the masses to vote and to run for Parliament in order to help improve conditions for workers. The exposure to such political beliefs and his family's poverty made a lasting impression on young Andrew and played a significant role in his life after his family immigrated to the United States in 1848.
Carnegie thought of himself as a man of the people and a hero of workers, and his philanthropy and statements in support of unions seem to reaffirm these beliefs. However, in his own mills, Carnegie often refused to give in to union demands and slashed wages. In these instances his pursuit of personal wealth won out over his political leanings, revealing his "double role."
Carnegie died on August 11, 1919 at Shadowbrook, his summer home in Lenox, Massachusetts. During his 83 years, he had given away over $350 million and helped build 2,509 libraries throughout the English-speaking world.
While the local Homestead press concentrated on Henry Clay Frick as
the villain behind the Homestead Strike, the national press focused
on Carnegie. Click below to see just a couple of examples.
"The Modern Baron with Ancient Methods." The World, July 1, 1892.
For more information on Andrew Carnegie, visit PBS's The American
Experience series site "Meet
Andrew Carnegie."
To hear a sound clip of Andrew Carnegie speaking, visit "Andrew Carnegie: A Tribute."
To learn more about some of Carnegie's philanthropic efforts, visit the following sites:
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