Support independent writing by and for the Rust Belt. Become a member today. »
(Cancel anytime.)
Independent, context-driven regional writing. Support Belt Magazine today. »
(Cancel anytime.)
More Stories
The Contradictions of a Progressive Police Chief
Newly-appointed CPD Superintendent David Brown left a complicated legacy in Dallas. Will he have his second chance in Chicago?
Reviving Detroit’s Historic Blue Bird Inn
Once “the nerve center” of the jazz scene in Detroit, the venue is now in shambles. But the Detroit Sound Conservancy and neighborhood leaders have plans to change that.
The Last Children of Mill Creek [Excerpt]
"My father was the grandson of Mississippi slaves, and the son of a thrice-married and divorced mother who had cleaned white peoples’ homes and cared for their children in two states by the time they settled in St. Louis in 1929."
The Restoration of Maxo Vanka’s Working-Class, Immigrant Murals
On the walls of a Pittsburgh-area church, twenty-five scenes of God, war, justice, family.
Organizing Labor in a Pandemic
COVID-19 put a spotlight on worker vulnerability, but creates challenges for traditional in-person organizing tactics.
Homeless Chicagoans Could Face “Major Fallout” From COVID-19
People living in shelters or on the street, especially those addicted to opioids, navigate a new set of risks and challenges.
Remembering the Kent State Shootings, Fifty Years Later
Survivor Chic Canfora reflects on life then and now.
The Fight Over Wind Power in Lake Erie
The contested case of the Icebreaker Wind Farm has implications for renewable energy in the region.
How the Pandemic Has Changed Public Transit in Cleveland
Service cuts and risk of transmission affect those "who have no other choice."
When the World is Remade, Make It Like Appalachia
But this time, let’s also invest in critical infrastructure—including healthcare.
After the Flood
How Chicago is coping with the effects of climate change.

Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.

Get the latest stories from around the region sent straight to your inbox.
Support independent, context-driven regional writing.