Presenter Information
Glenna Van Dyke, Public History MA 2026
Abstract
Bridging Solidarity is a digital map that fosters exploration of Pittsburgh’s long labor history. This project introduces audiences to fourteen strikes or strike-related conflicts across Allegheny County from the early nineteenth century to today, by combining secondary literature, newspapers, digital and physical archival material, visual media, and historic maps. Hosted in the platform HistoryPin, Bridging Solidarity promotes engagement with strikes across time and space, inspires an appreciation for local places, and highlights many diverging experiences within Pittsburgh’s labor movement. This essay contextualizes my work within three historic subfields: digital humanities, place-based public labor history, and diverse local labor history. First, I discuss how this project’s digital inception influenced its design, preservation and writing, drawing from the insights of digital historians. Next, I argue that place-based history helps audiences better understand local labor history, while I highlight my methods for uncovering relevant sites. I then illustrate my project’s inclusion of marginalized people and the ambiguities of strikes past. Lastly, I point to future expansions to this project that will complement my engagement with these historical subfields.
School
McAnulty College and Graduate School of Liberal Arts
Advisor
Dr. Jennifer Taylor
Submission Type
Paper
Included in
Bridging Solidarity: Mapping Pittsburgh’s Strikes in a Digital and Inclusive Context
Bridging Solidarity is a digital map that fosters exploration of Pittsburgh’s long labor history. This project introduces audiences to fourteen strikes or strike-related conflicts across Allegheny County from the early nineteenth century to today, by combining secondary literature, newspapers, digital and physical archival material, visual media, and historic maps. Hosted in the platform HistoryPin, Bridging Solidarity promotes engagement with strikes across time and space, inspires an appreciation for local places, and highlights many diverging experiences within Pittsburgh’s labor movement. This essay contextualizes my work within three historic subfields: digital humanities, place-based public labor history, and diverse local labor history. First, I discuss how this project’s digital inception influenced its design, preservation and writing, drawing from the insights of digital historians. Next, I argue that place-based history helps audiences better understand local labor history, while I highlight my methods for uncovering relevant sites. I then illustrate my project’s inclusion of marginalized people and the ambiguities of strikes past. Lastly, I point to future expansions to this project that will complement my engagement with these historical subfields.