What does the story of Sparrows Point have to teach us today? What lessons are worth remembering as we look ahead to an uncertain economic future? This episode, we look the shift from manufacturing to distribution jobs, the decline of unions, a

The Writing On The Wall

Feb 24th, 2021 34m 45s

By the mid-20 century, Bethlehem Steel was the biggest steel company in the US. It was an industrial giant that seemed too powerful to fail. But in 2001, it declared bankruptcy, decimating retirees’ pensions and health benefits. In this episode

Bonus Episode: What Didn't Get Said

Feb 19th, 2021 20m 18s

Back in the third episode of this series (Hard Fought Negotiations), we introduced you to Eddie Bartee, Jr. and after he heard the episode, he got in back in touch to share some feedback. In this bonus episode, we hop on the phone with Mr. Bart

Women of Steel

Feb 17th, 2021 40m 49s

In the 1970s, Bethlehem Steel was forced by a federal consent decree to start hiring women in all operational departments, and at Sparrows Point, a brave generation of female steelworkers first walked through the doors. They stepped into a work

Hard-Fought Negotiations

Feb 10th, 2021 33m 2s

A unionized workforce was never part of the original plan at Sparrows Point. Neither was racial equity. Workers were meant to be cogs in a machine, and black workers got channeled into the hottest, dirtiest, and lowest-paying jobs. It took unti

The City In The Marshes

Feb 3rd, 2021 38m 8s

How did a swampy peninsula on the Patapsco River get picked as the site for a revolutionary, state-of-the-art steel mill? What was it like to live and work in a self-contained company town? Did Bethlehem Steel help the Allies win World War II?

Smoke, Noise, Steam, and Heat

Jan 27th, 2021 40m 7s

From the labor gang to the blast furnace, the open hearth to the shipyard, the plate mill to the 68 hot strip mill, what was it like to walk into Sparrows Point and do a day’s work? Some say it was an adventure. Some say it was like fighting a

Trailer

Sparrows Point: An American Steel Story Trailer

Dec 2nd, 2020 3m 5s

Sparrows Point is a story of capitalism, labor unions, race, gender, civil rights, pride, and hubris. It’s the story of American steel. Check out this trailer and what's in store in the upcoming series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy

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