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September 02, 2022

A Miasma of Metals: The Steelworkers’ Environmental Call Following the Donora Smog of 1948

32 minutes

Louise Milone recounts how smog produced by the southwestern Pennsylvanian steel industry poisoned the air in the Monongahela Valley town of Donora on November 1, 1948, killing more than 22 people and sickening thousands more. Exploring the response of the US Steel Corporation, employees, and Donora residents, Milone explains how the United Steelworkers of America union pushed for an investigation and improved environmental and health and safety regulations following the disaster. Milone is a Ph.D. candidate in the University of Georgia Department of History.

Related Collections:

Olga Madar Papers

Harvey O’Connor Papers

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Episode Credits

Producers: Dan Golodner and Troy Eller English

Interviewee: Louise Milone

Music: Bart Bealmear

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