Horatio Alger Jr.
In dozens of popular boys’ books published between 1867 and 1917, Horatio Alger Jr. assured young readers that if they were honest, worked hard, and cultivated good character, they could succeed in the new competitive economy. His heroes, such as the famous “Ragged Dick,” often grew up in poverty on the streets of big cities. Brave and Bold (1874) told the story of a small-town boy forced to work in a factory; he is unfairly fired, but through persistence and courage he wins a good job and recovers an inheritance for his mother. Alger’s books were republished often, as in this boys’ magazine from 1911, and many remain in print today. Courtesy Stanford University Archives.