Although more people are earning degrees, the gap between rich and poor in America is widening. Historian Cristina Groeger delves into the history of this seeming contradiction, explaining how education came to be seen as a panacea even as it paved the way for deepening inequality.

Groeger returns to the Gilded Age in Boston, a city that spent heavily on public schools. She examines how workplaces came to depend on an army of white-collar staff, largely women and second-generation immigrants, trained in secondary schools, and the negative consequences for many workers.

The Repairing America Initiative is the Boston Public Library’s pledge to focus its 2021 programming and services on bridging the gaps that divide America. By prioritizing economic recovery, civic engagement, COVID-19 recovery, racial equity, workforce development, and youth engagement, the BPL is working to help Americans rise above the challenges they face.

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