Reclaiming Pennsylvania’s Religious Anarchy
As I reflect on Pennsylvania today, however, I must conclude that this commonwealth in which I reside has gotten much too far away from its origins as a sanctuary for the oppressed.
Cleveland in the Kremlin
It should be of some interest—perhaps not only in a sentimental sense—that the lands that birthed so many of the drivers of neoliberalism and contemporary fascism were also the birthplace of the left-wing movements like the founders of the Communist Party of the United States of America.
Is Ohio Literature a Thing? Should it Be?
No one flatly states that they can’t sell books with Midwestern settings, but it isn’t hard to notice that the flaws they do mention—too tragic, too many characters, not up-to-date—seem perfectly acceptable for novels set in an eastern urban environment or somewhere in Europe.
Charles “Teenie” Harris’s Photographs Make Space for Joy
One of Harris’s many gifts was his ability to capture expressions---smiles, scowls, and all the nuances in between.
Despair is a Luxury That We Can’t Afford
What is there now? There is the power of hope, the power of community, of solidarity, of neighborly commitment.
Justice, Vigilance, and the American Conscious
American exceptionalism is a one-way ticket to xenophobia. Vigilance is our path to restorative justice. Choose wisely.
The Terrible Towel is Poised to Strike
We love it because it's authentic, not handed out by some bank or corporation -- a giveaway fit for nothing greater than cleaning the car. Cope's Towel is bigger than that. It is a part of our history and Pittsburghers love nothing more than hometown history.
The Cost of Loss at WVU
Losing the entire world languages program may simplify a spreadsheet, but it will also send talented West Virginians outside state lines for better opportunities.
The Real Field of Dreams
That tiny patch of Iowa might well have been returned to corn production when the movie makers left town, but was not. It was preserved, haltingly at first, with nothing more than a rusted coffee can nailed to a post to solicit preservation donations, and now has become an industry, a revenue stream for both Iowa and big league baseball.
Ben Gwin’s Essential Labor Story for Our Time
Gwin combines the story of the challenges facing labor unions in the 21st century and workforce realities with a deeply personal exploration of his own relationship to work and his struggles as a single parent.
Gordon Lightfoot’s Great Lakes’ Lives
No song better captures the terrifying power of the Great Lakes than Lightfoot’s tragic, captivating rendering. It is a sonic and literary achievement, translating the sudden confusion, fear, and despair as the Edmund Fitzgerald is unable to weather a November storm.
In Pittsburgh, Local Journalism Is Worth the Fight
Having two major news sources in the city owned by notoriously anti-worker management can’t be good. For local journalism to be good, local journalism jobs need to be good.