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LABOR NOTES
The History and Possible Futures of an American Steel Town
McKeesport, Pennsylvania has been through two Great Depressions. Its recovery from the first holds lessons for today.
The History and Possible Futures of an American Steel Town
McKeesport, Pennsylvania has been through two Great Depressions. Its recovery from the first holds lessons for today.
Featured
PERSONAL HISTORY
The Girl in the Mall
Growing up my rural Ohio town, the mall was our refuge. It could also be dangerous.
ON THE TRAILS
What Chicago’s Major Taylor Trail Could Be
Marshall Taylor was a cycling legend. Residents say the trail that bears his name is an asset in need of investment.
FOOD&DRINK
Pittsburgh’s Glorious Turkey Devonshire
It’s technically an open-faced sandwich, but that’s like calling the Empire State Building an office park.
COLLECTION
Rust Belt Labor: A Reading List
Stories of Rust Belt workers--their lives, histories, memories, and resistance.
Rust Belt Labor: A Reading List
Stories of Rust Belt workers--their lives, histories, memories, and resistance.
Independent, context-driven regional writing. Support Belt Magazine today. »
More Stories
“Somebody Call Cleveland?”
On Pittsburgh, United Flight 93, and twenty years of war.
Reducing Recidivism and Building Green Industry Skills in Detroit
For programs like Goodwill's Greenworks, it starts with engagement.
The Fight Against Chicago’s Largest Warehouse Isn’t Over
On Chicago's southwest side, activists say a massive new distribution center needs to benefit the community.
When the Buckeyes Played in Cleveland
The original Buckeyes were a championship-winning Negro League team that played in Cleveland in the 1940s.
Wisconsin’s Black Farming Tradition
Since the mid-1800s, agriculture has created a path to agency and freedom for Black people in Wisconsin.
Inside the Decades-Long Fight Over an Ohio Superfund Site
In Uniontown, Ohio, outside of Akron, residents and officials have clashed over cleanup of the Industrial Excess Landfill.
The Q Arena Deal and “A Lesson in Cleveland Politics”
A conversation with organizers on the long fight over the development project, and how it ended.
Jessica Hopper’s Regional Sensibility
The Chicago writer's "no bullshit" approach shines through in the revised edition of "The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic."
My Summer of Steel
Before my junior year of college, in 1972, I worked at the manufacturing plant where my father was a foreman. It was an education.
Building a Just Energy Future in Michigan
Biden's Justice40 Initiative wants an equitable transition to clean energy. In Detroit, Black-led businesses are key.
The Rise of the Cleveland Guardians
The story behind the Cleveland baseball team's new namesakes.
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From the Archives
Climate Emergency and Environmental Justice in the Rust Belt
Stories on climate change, industrial legacies, and planning for a just future.
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.
Belt News
Call for Submissions: Indigenous Rust Belt
In search of features, essays, and poems that engage with the Indigenous Rust Belt.
Centering Community Narratives in the Rust Belt
Watch the full video of our March 31 event "Documenting Home," in partnership with PEN America.
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