A new exhibit, "Local Legends: African American Steelworkers of the Calumet Region," will be on display at the Harold Washington Library Center from February 1 to April 30, 2025. Celebrating ASALH’s 2025 theme, "African Americans and Labor," the exhibit focuses on the experiences of African Americans in Chicago’s steel industry on the Southeast Side.  

The neighborhoods of South Chicago, South Deering, East Side and Hegewisch were once home to Chicago’s steel industry. Wisconsin Steel, then John H. Brown Iron & Steel, began operation in 1875, beginning the steel industry’s domination of Chicago’s Southeast Side for over a hundred years.  

During the Great Migration, African Americans moved to Chicago for jobs and to escape violence in the Jim Crow South. However, African American steelworkers were assigned to the most dangerous and dirtiest jobs and faced discrimination from employers, coworkers, and even their unions. Early 20th-century labor strikes often overlooked the concerns of African American workers by white union organizers. 

During World War II, African American workers gained greater recognition and legal support. Executive Order 8802 prohibited discrimination in defense industries, including steel. Additionally, it established the Fair Employment Practice Committee, which served as a precursor to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.   

By the 1950s, African American steelworkers had begun to gain recognition from their employers and labor unions due to their active participation in major steel strikes and their vocal advocacy for workers' rights. Some workers joined the Communist Party; many others who remained affiliated with mainstream labor organizations distanced themselves from these affiliations due to the rise of McCarthyism. As a result, many unions began to expel their Communist members. 

It was not until the 1960s that African American steelworkers were finally allowed to hold managerial positions and occupy leadership roles. Before, African Americans were often scattered across different unions and did not make up a majority; as a result, their concerns regarding discrimination, safety and representation were frequently overlooked. Without African American representation in positions of leadership, the concerns of rank-and-file workers could not be easily addressed. 

Alongside immigrant workers from Europe and Mexico, African Americans contributed to the formation of fairer unions, combated discriminatory practices in the workplace, and demanded safer working conditions. Progress was slow, and while some victories were achieved, the unexpected closure of Wisconsin Steel in 1980 set off a domino effect of mill closures, devastating the local economy. 

Today, residents of the Southeast Side remain dedicated to their community despite challenges over the past 40 years. Local environmental groups are actively addressing pollution and health risks following the closure of mills, which disproportionately affected African American workers. Chicago has designated areas for toxic waste near homes and schools, while reinvestment initiatives seek to revitalize manufacturing and protect the environment. 

Visit Local Legends: African American Steelworkers of the Calumet Region on the Third Floor Gallery at Harold Washington from February 1 to April 30, 2025. An adapted version of the exhibit will be displayed at Altgeld, Hegewisch and Jeffery Manor branches through March 1.