The challenges of our present times relate not only to climate change, war, poverty, and a crisis of political and moral leadership. They include also culture and education. At a time when humanity commands a significant abundance of knowledge and technological development, so many in the world are deprived of access to education and learning. Many of the world’s wealthiest countries suffer this problem, albeit on small scale compared with the poor nations in the so-called Global South. In the US, Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, Clemente courses have together represented a small but valiant endeavour to create access for the most treasured of learning, that of the humanities. Following Earl Shorris, Clemente’s founder, we argue that Clemente courses create access to education and to potential paths in lifelong learning for people experiencing multi-generational poverty, racism, social exclusion and social invisibility. This chapter assesses the history, successes and limitations of Clemente courses, and then explores trends in the research on lifelong learning particularly in relation to social justice. We then examine patterns of learning in Clemente courses, measuring strengths and challenges for incorporating Clemente into lives of lifelong learning for the poor in those countries where Clemente exists. The chapter ends with an outline of the contribution of the remainder of the book to ongoing thinking and debate about lifelong learning in first world contexts.