Andrew Carnegie amassed an enormous fortune in the steel industry and then became a major philanthropist. During the late 19th century, when steel would be used first as railroad track, Carnegie perfected low-cost steel production. The Carnegie Steelworks, in Homestead, PA, employed men producing steel under primitive industrial working conditions. This program will feature the 1892 strike at Homestead which pitted the Pinkerton Detective Agency against the steelworkers ending with 10 deaths. After Carnegie sold his steel company to J.P. Morgan he gave all his money away by building over 2,500 libraries. Many still exist today.

Carnegie gets an "A" for his philanthropy. The Carnegie Foundation is still an active and well funded organization today. There are those who question whether the amassing of wealth was worth the price to fund the libraries.

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Presented in collaboration with the following libraries: Bigelow, Ashland Public, Longmeadow Storrs Public, Marlborough Public

Made possible, in part, by the Groton Public Library Endowment Trust.