Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie was born Dale Carnagey on November 24, 1888, into poverty on a farm near Maryville, Missouri, to parents James William and Amanda Elizabeth Harbison Carnagey. He grew up in challenging financial conditions, working on the family farm while developing an early passion for public speaking through high school debates. After attending State Normal School, he graduated in 1908 without completing a full teaching degree, instead entering sales as a traveling salesman for correspondence courses to ranchers and later for Armour & Company, where he excelled, making his South Omaha territory the national leader in bacon, soap, and lard sales. Moving to New York City around 1910-1912, Carnegie pursued acting but pivoted to teaching public speaking night classes at the YMCA, where his practical, business-focused methods drew immediate success. In 1912, he launched the Dale Carnegie Course, formalizing techniques to build self-confidence. The 1930s marked his peak fame: 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' (1936) became a massive bestseller, selling millions and promoting principles like changing others' behavior by altering one's own. He expanded the Dale Carnegie Institute, reaching 750 U.S. cities and 15 countries by the 1950s. Carnegie died on November 1, 1955, at age 66, leaving a legacy in adult education that influenced figures like Warren Buffett.