Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919)
Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
A poor Scottish immigrant, Carnegie became a millionaire steel magnate and proponent of the "Gospel of Wealth." Seeking to benefit society with his fortune, he built over 2,500 libraries and endowed institutions advancing education and peace.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Andrew Carnegie arrived from Scotland as a poor immigrant boy and rose to become the steel magnate whose Pittsburgh mills helped power America's industrial age. Preaching a "Gospel of Wealth" that held the rich were duty-bound to give their fortunes away, he funded more than 2,500 libraries and endowed institutions devoted to education and world peace. His philanthropy reshaped access to books and learning across the country and beyond.
Why it matters
Carnegie embodied both the ruthless rise of Gilded Age industry and the American ideal that great fortunes should be returned to the public good.
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Related people
- · Andrew Carnegie
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