Akron Stories Project Brings Rubber Worker Histories to Life

The Akron Stories Project is a grassroots initiative to collect, preserve, and celebrate the stories of Akron’s rubber workers and their descendants.

In the late 19th century, Ohio emerged as a leading manufacturer of rubber products, with many of the largest tire and rubber companies in the United States based in the Akron, making it the “Rubber Capital of the World.” For more than 100 years, people flocked from all over the world to earn a good wage and pursue their dreams in Akron. These rubber workers helped The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, B.F. Goodrich, General Tire, The Mohawk Rubber Company, Seiberling Rubber Company, and more earn tremendous wealth, and propelled America through a period of unrivaled leadership, innovation, and industrial success.

The Akron Stories project was launched in 2019 to capture and share the stories of Akron’s rubber workers for future generations. The Akron Stories team interviewed hundreds of people, collected thousands of stories, and mined extensive public and private archives to bring these stories to life.

The Akron Stories project has been entirely funded through the sale of commemorative bricks, which are on sale through June 18, 2021. All orders from June 21 – December 31 will be installed in 2022. Anyone can buy a brick and support the project. Be a part of Akron history and help us celebrate our community’s resilient future!

Source: Akron Stories