Lectures on Tap - What Was the Gilded Age? (and Are We in Another One Now?)

Join us for an engaging evening where professors, experts, and storytellers bring their thought-provoking lectures to your favorite bar in Downtown Boston!

Hosted by the Lectures on Tap team.

🗓️ Date: August 21st, 2025

🕡 Time: 6:30 PM

📍 Location: Downtown Boston (exact address provided in confirmation email)

📚 Lecture: “What Was the Gilded Age? (and Are We in Another One Now?)”

🎤 Speaker: Prof. Edward T. O'Donnell

The popular HBO series “The Gilded Age” has reignited interest in this transformative period of American history (1870-1900) and raised questions about whether we are currently experiencing a “Second Gilded Age.” This multimedia presentation by Prof. Edward T. O'Donnell examines the stark contrasts of the original Gilded Age, showcasing astonishing growth in prosperity, population, and industry alongside urban squalor, political corruption, and the ruthless tactics of Robber Barons.

Explore the emergence of super-rich figures like Rockefeller and Vanderbilt, the social turmoil manifested in strikes and political upheaval, and the parallels between the original Gilded Age and today’s society.

Prof. Edward T. O'Donnell is a history professor at Holy Cross College in Worcester, MA. He has authored five books and contributes history-themed pieces to major publications. Known for his engaging commentary, he frequently appears in documentaries on the History Channel, PBS, and Netflix.

Don’t miss this opportunity to rethink a fascinating era in American history!

Get a drink, connect, and learn at Lectures on Tap! 🙌

Agenda

6:30 PM – Doors open: find a seat (open seating!), order food & drinks, and expect a bar line—arriving early is key.

6:55 PM – Host introduction

7:00 PM – Lecture begins

7:45 PM – Audience Q&A

8:00 PM – Have 1:1 time with the speaker, mingle with fellow guests, and order another round

8:30 PM – Wrap up.