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POLITICS
Envisioning a Progressive Future for Lima, Ohio
Lima’s current mayor is retiring after thirty-two years. Sharetta Smith, his current chief of staff, says “it’s time for the next generation to lead.”
Envisioning a Progressive Future for Lima, Ohio
Lima’s current mayor is retiring after thirty-two years. Sharetta Smith, his current chief of staff, says “it’s time for the next generation to lead.”
Featured Stories
HISTORY
The Great Railroad Strike in Pittsburgh
Excerpted from "An Alternative History of Pittsburgh."
PERSONAL HISTORY
Ode to Olcott
Olcott, New York—"The French Riviera of Lake Ontario"—has sunk and rebounded in a way so minor, yet major enough to feel like a triumph.
CULTURAL STUDIES
What Michael Stanley Meant to Cleveland
His story is the story of the rise and fall of rock 'n' roll in Cleveland—and of the city itself.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Racism, Rebellion, and Police Violence in the Midwest
Stories on the long history of racism and police violence in the Midwest—and what to do about it.
Racism, Rebellion, and Police Violence in the Midwest
Stories on the long history of racism and police violence in the Midwest—and what to do about it.
Independent, context-driven regional writing. Support Belt Magazine today. »
More Stories
Documenting Home
Meet the panelists for our March 31 event in partnership with PEN America.
The Suburbs are Stunned
An excerpt from the Pittsburgh Neighborhood Guidebook.
“As Though It Is Everywhere”: An Interview with Hanif Abdurraqib
"I feel close to my roots in a way that I don't know that I've ever felt."
On the Ice in a Warming World
For ice fishermen on northern Michigan’s frozen lakes, it’s easy to feel like climate change is a world away. But it’s only a matter of time before a warming planet transforms the tradition.
What It’s Like to Work at a Food Pantry During the Pandemic
In a world of scarcity, food pantries—like the one where I work in Chicago—make room for abundance.
The Rubber Industry’s Toxic Legacy in Akron
The stories of workers and their families reveal "unintended consequences" for life and health in the community.
Midwestern
"I heard the dreams of a revisionist age, / the once upon a time / of a land strong in industry."
Vaccinating Your Elderly Parents: The Board Game
A comic about navigating the Ohio coronavirus vaccination system.
Welcome to Buffalo
A photographer reflects on the Black communities that have shaped his life in Buffalo, New York.
Desegregating Chicago’s Far Southwest Side
Neighborhoods experienced the wrath of white supremacy against a busing program to integrate schools like Bogan High School in the 70s.
Coming of Age Between Somalia and Columbus
On moving, 9/11, and reckoning with the names and places that made you who you are.
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From the Archives
Armed, Angry Men
Trump, militias, and the long history of voter intimidation and violence in the Midwest.
Racism, Rebellion, and Police Violence in the Midwest
Stories on the long history of racism and police violence in the Midwest—and what to do about it.
Belt News
Centering Community Narratives in the Rust Belt
Watch the full video of our March 31 event "Documenting Home," in partnership with PEN America.
The Best of Belt Magazine 2020
Announcing a new anthology of regional writing, available exclusively to Belt members.
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