Exhibits and Projects
Browse through our numerous virtual exhibits and projects!
Nov 10, 2023
Women face challenges balancing work-life and home- life that, historically and today, differ from their male counterparts. Race, gender, and class influenced society's expectations of women and where they worked. Women toiling outside the home had experiences which were diverse, and working conditions improved over time, but female employees still find challenges in the workplace that their male counterparts do not.
This exhibit looks at what conditions have changed, what continues to be problematic, and where improvements are possible.
Photo provided by Mike Theisler from Steel Valley Artifacts
May 6, 2022
As part of Dr. Leary's Special Topics in Applied History course, students Brooke Bobovnyik, Jacob Harver, Christopher Gillett, and Matt Franks researched and developed a virtual exhibit that traces the industrial, residential, and transportation history of the Brown Bonnell District. More than an industrial site, the Brown Bonnell District contained numerous features, such as the P&O Canal, that made Youngstown a significant town in Northeast Ohio for many decades.
Lisbon, Ohio
December 17, 2021
Explore how industry, migration, culture, and social status influenced the construction of houses in the Western Reserve and nearby locations and learn of the history and architecture of these structures that still exist.
This exhibit was created by the graduate students of the American Architectural History course at YSU.
Picture source: Wikimedia Commons
Melanie M. Jones, graduate student in the American Studies Program at Youngstown State University has created this virtual exhibit showcasing the role women played in various wars beginning with the American Revolution. This virtual exhibit serves as her graduate project for the program.
The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor prides itself in providing access to the work of numerous YSU students as well as our graduate interns.
The YHCIL acquired the archives of the Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association (YGDNA), a local union of the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA), in 2018. The YGDNA was the first nurses' union established in Ohio and the second to be established in the country. Youngstown State University alum and past YHCIL intern, Mallorie Sutter, has been organizing and documenting the collection while participating in an oral history project to accompany the archive. The collection includes paraphernalia, board meeting minutes, financial records, job bids, and more.
The YGDNA virtual exhibit was developed and researched by graduate assistant intern of the YSU History Program, Brooke Bobovnyik. Further research was conducted by Mallorie Sutter, YSU alum and past YHCIL intern, and Zack Mayer, past graduate assistant intern of the YSU History Program.
August 20, 2021
Over a span of 120 years (1863-1983), the William B. Pollock Company earned a reputation for its innovative design and reconstruction of blast furnaces, ladles, and rail cars, its advancement over economic and industrial challenges over time, and its dedication to maintaining a high standard of excellence as a global supplier of steel products.
Learn more about the Pollock family and their company's foundation, growth, and role in the evolution of manufacturing in the new exhibit, "The William B. Pollock Company: Advancements in the Art of Iron and Steel" open now in the Bitonte Family Welcome Lobby. The exhibit is made possible through the generosity of the William B. Pollock Company Foundation and Roberta Hannay.
Manufacturing Day 2020 (first Friday in October, annually)
In honor of Manufacturing Day, YHCIL staff and interns developed a virtual exhibit commemorating the past, present, and future of manufacturing in the Mahoning Valley region, highlighting well-known companies like James Ward & Co. (1841-1900), William B. Pollock Company (1863-1983), Vallourec S.A., McDonald Steel Corp, and more.
September 2020
Ohio Open Doors is an annual event of Ohio History Connection that celebrates community landmarks and significant buildings through special programming and tours by community organizations. This year, Ohio Open Doors went virtual, and the YHCIL staff and interns developed a virtual walking tour of downtown Youngstown to share with the greater Ohio community.
Made from Steel August 17_ 2018.wmvMade from Steel
This video, produced by Youngstown State University graduate student and YHCIL intern Brooke Bobovnyik, documents the rise and fall of the steel industry in the Mahoning Valley.