Episode Details

Author Maxwell King has a new book out, Fire in the Night Sky, about the steel mill paintings of Aaron Gorson. He speaks with Jim Cunningham about the book and Gorson's contribution to Pittsburgh's steel history.

King, who has written biographies of Fred Rogers and John Cane, was not originally interested in Aaron Gorson. But as he started researching him, he realized the importance of Gorson's work in Pittsburgh's steel mill history. Gorson was commissioned to paint two murals at Rodef Shalom temple in Oakland and stayed in the city for its vibrant arts community. Here he discovered a fascination with Pittsburgh's steel industry and started capturing these scenes from what is now called the Bluff at Duquesne University.

The Heinz History Center will host a book launch on September 22nd, and King will be lecturing and signing copies of the book at Concept Gallery on October 1st. Learn more Fire in the Night Sky and purchase the book from Simon & Schuster.

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