Parallels between the Gilded Age and today's wealth gap

About this episode

The episode explores the parallels between the wealth inequality of the Gilded Age and today's economic challenges through personal stories and expert insights.

The Center Street Neighborhood — a tight-knit, predominantly Black community — was destroyed by highway construction and city urban renewal projects. Our sense of community is tied to economic opportunity, and this hour, we explore this by starting with Richard Duncan, a former resident of the Center Street neighborhood, and his wife and documentary partner, Madison Deshay-Duncan. Then we return to the wealth inequality of the Gilded Age with economist and historian Joshua Rosenbloom to see what parallels we can draw to today. Finally, union president Charlie Wishman shares how fewer manufacturing jobs and weakened unions harmed our communities.

People in this episode

Guests: Richard Duncan, Madison Deshay-Duncan, Joshua Rosenbloom, Charlie Wishman

Topics covered

• wealth gap
• Gilded Age
• community
• economic opportunity
• urban renewal
• manufacturing jobs
• unions

Keywords

• wealth inequality
• economic opportunity
• urban renewal
• manufacturing jobs
• unions
• community destruction
• historical parallels

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Center Street Neighborhood

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