Dale Carnegie

Dale Breckenridge Carnegie was born into rural poverty on November 24, 1888, on a small farm in Maryville, Missouri. He worked his way through State Teacher's College in Warrensburg, Missouri, before working as a traveling salesman of bacon and soap for Armour & Company and pursuing acting in New York City.

In 1912, Carnegie convinced the YMCA at 125th Street in New York to let him teach public speaking courses to working adults. His revolutionary curriculum focused not on elocution, but on overcoming stage fright, listening actively, building human rapport, and cultivating self-confidence.

In October 1936, Simon & Schuster published his masterwork 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'. An overnight global sensation, it remained on bestseller lists for decades, teaching millions timeless principles: smile, remember names, listen genuinely, praise honest effort, and understand others' perspectives. He passed away in Forest Hills, New York, on November 1, 1955.