ABSTRACT
By the mid-twentieth century, several American historians had identified Alger as one of “the great myth-makers of the modern world,” as well as one of “the most influential American figures of all time.” Contemporary broadcast, print, and online media continue to suggest the possibility of rags to riches destinies by constantly providing the American people with stories of entertainment, sports, and business icons and the extravagant details of celebrities’ lives. Despite the gravity of the ethical imperative and its implications, there remains an impasse in American consciousness when it comes to recognizing the culture of poverty. Ford Times provided a description of the graduation ceremony for the Ford English School, established by American entrepreneur Henry Ford. “In its simplest form, the American ‘melting pot’ fantasy was that as immigrants entered the nation, the visible signs of their ethnic and racial difference would be bleached out,” explains American cultural history scholar Alison Landsberg.
