Rivers of Steel: Steelworker Oral History Project

The Rivers of Steel Steelworker Oral History Project records oral history interviews of former steelworkers in the seven-county region of Western Pennsylvania.  This project is preserving first-hand accounts of the life of the region¹s steelworkers and creating a valuable research resource not only for students and scholars but also educators, historical societies and residents wanting to learn more about the region, its people and heritage.

This on-going project is under the direction of Ron Baraff, Project Manager, and Julie Throckmorton, Folklife Consultant and interviewer.  More than 40 people who have been interviewed for the Steelworker Oral History Project, which also includes recordings were made of the following meetings: Steelworkers’ Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) meetings in McKeesport, Braddock, and Homestead.