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City Cast Pittsburgh

Mary Cassatt was an outspoken suffragist and painter known for her endearing portraits of everyday women and mothers tending to their children — a radical display of familial moments for the time. She spent her adult life in France, but her roots were laid right here.

She was born 180 years ago today in Allegheny City, which eventually annexed into the North Side of Pittsburgh. She grew up in an upper-middle-class family; her father was a stockbroker, and her brother Alexander later became president of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Cassatt began studying at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts at just 15, but in 1866, she was so piqued by the attitude of male students and teachers (women weren’t even allowed to use live models!) that she decided to study on her own. Her mother and family friends accompanied her to Paris where she studied privately with artists and attained a permit to be a “copyist” at the Louvre. By 1877, she was invited by Edgar Degas to show her work with the Impressionists, or “Independents,” whose work was “

You can see a historical marker honoring her 

 on the North Side, but it's unfortunately not very accessible to get to.

Luckily, you can easily browse some of her most famous pieces in the Carnegie Museum of Art’s 

. Take a moment to appreciate her painting “

” alongside a composition from the Pittsburgh Symphony and Orchestra, or find a moment of stillness with “

Mary Cassatt traveled from Pittsburgh to Paris in the 1800s to study and hone her skills as an impressionist painter.

Who Was Pittsburgh Impressionist Painter Mary Cassatt?

Impressionist Painter Mary Cassatt Was a Suffragist From Pittsburgh

People, places, and scenes from Pittsburgh's past.

Pittsburgh History

Want to celebrate our city’s rich literary community for free? The annual 

 will welcome nationally renowned authors with ties to Pittsburgh, dozens of poets, book and comic stores, entertainment, publishers, and more on May 11 at the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary. Find a lineup of local authors below!

 Whether you love romance novels, want to take a 

, plan to bring your kids, or are a die-hard yinzer, there is a 

genre guide to help you plan your perfect day

Beams’ book “The Illness Lesson,” is a New York Times Editors’ Choice and her story collection, “We Show What We Have Learned,” won the Bard Fiction Prize. Beams, a Pittsburgh resident and teacher at the Randolph MFA program, recently released her newest novel, “The Garden.” She was also a 2014 NEA fellow and a finalist for the 2023 Joyce Carol Oates Prize.

📖 Beams’ horror and historical fiction author talk is at 10:15 a.m. with Russian-born American novelist Irina Reyn.

Cotman is the author of four collections of speculative short stories: “The Jack Daniels Sessions EP,” “Hard Times Blues,” “Dance on Saturday,” and his most recent, “

” is an “irresistibly unnerving collection of stories that explore the anxieties of living while Black.” His debut novel “The Age of Ignorance” will be published by Scribner in 2025.

📖 Catch Cotman’s author talk focused on short stories at 12:15 p.m. with Creative Nonfiction Editor Elizabeth Abeling.

Derrick, who lives in Pittsburgh with her family, is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of “She Gets the Girl” and the author of “Forget Me Not,” which was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s literature.

📖 Derrick will be speaking on a panel, “From Pittsburgh with Love,” with wife Rachael Lippincott at 11:15 a.m.; a book signing at 12 p.m.; speaking on a panel, “Family Ties,” with Jennifer Baker and Shannon C.F. Rogers at 2:15 p.m.; and another book signing at 3 p.m.

Cave Canem co-founder Toi Derricotte’s sixth collection of poetry, “‘I’ New and Selected Poems,” was shortlisted for the 2019 National Book Award. She won the Pegasus Award from the Poetry Foundation in 2023, the Wallace Stevens Award from the Academy of American Poets in 2021, and the Frost Medal from the Poetry Society of America in 2020.

📖 Derricotte will be reading in the Poetry Tent at 3 p.m. 

Lippincott is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and coauthor of “Five Feet Apart,” “All This Time,” “She Gets the Girl,” “The Lucky List,” “Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh,” and ‘“Make My Wish Come True.” She holds a BA in English writing from Pitt. Lippincott is originally from Bucks County, and currently lives in Pittsburgh with her wife and daughter.

📖 Lippincott will be speaking on panels, “From Pittsburgh with Love,” with wife Alyson Derrick at 11:15 a.m. and “Reading the Rainbow at Every Age,” with Alan R. Wells and Michael Leali at 12:15 p.m. She’ll also do a book signing!

Reed is the author of “Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries and Just One More Page Before Lights Out.” It was excerpted in The New Yorker and in George Saunders' Substack, Story Club. Shannon is also the author of “Why Did I Get a B? And Other Mysteries We're Discussing in the Faculty Lounge.” She teaches at the University of Pittsburgh, where she is the Director of Undergraduate Studies for the Writing Program.

📖 Reed will be holding an author talk at 11:45 a.m. with literary artist Adriana Ramirez.

 and the author of over a dozen books, including “The Soul of Pittsburgh.”

📖 Simon will be speaking on a Local History panel at 1:45 with Pitt Archivist & Records Manager Zachary Brodt, moderated by Virginia Montanez, and holding an author talk at 3:30 p.m.

mapping what’s left of Pittsburgh’s past

 over the past 200 years on the City Cast Pittsburgh podcast.

Celebrate our city’s rich literary community for free at the annual Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books on May 11.

The Best Pittsburgh Authors to Read Right Now

Find These Local Authors at the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books

Find the best of everything that Pittsburgh has to offer.

Pittsburgh’s Best

Pittsburgh's Best

Want to get to know the fungus among us? Pennsylvania is the 

 of mushrooms in the U.S. — the official “mushroom capitol” is in 

 outside Philly — but Pittsburgh is also a great place to forage for fungi. Esperanzo Wilcox of the 

, plus species lookalikes to watch out for.

“It's so intriguing, because there's just so much nuance and detail within each layer, right? For every question, it just gets deeper and deeper and deeper,” Wilcox says. “Foraging is a skill that comes over time.”

Mushrooms are nature’s hydrometer, Espo says. So in Pittsburgh, that means heavy rains like we’ve experienced lately are key to creating the perfect conditions. Many mushroom varieties thrive through spring and summer — if you know where to look!

If you plan to harvest, rather than just observe, make sure you pack a clean knife or scissors. Espo recommends a small bag with a magnifying glass, parchment paper to wrap your finds, and a camera, notebook, or pen to capture any special moments. He’s also a big fan of taking a little makeup brush with the bristles cut down to clean his mushrooms as he gathers them. “It can get a little muddy and, you know, a little dirty,” he says, “so it's just best to clean as you harvest rather than collect everything and load it all up and then go back and clean.” A bottle of water, snacks, and a backup charger for your phone battery can come in handy, too.

Tree identification can be key to finding mushrooms and feeling confident that what you’ve found is, in fact, safe to eat. Espo suggests linking up with the 

 or another group for your first few outings. Anyone can find mushrooms, he says, but you may find that you enjoy the taxonomy more than edibility — or maybe photography, drawing, or wayfinding suit you best. “There’s all different skill sets,” Espo says. “Your personal interests can lead you as far as you want to go.” 

harvest responsibly and make sure you have the proper permissions

. State parks, forests, and game lands are, well, fair game! And so are lots of other public spaces. If you suspect an area on private land might be a great spot to forage, ask the landowners first.

Never forage from a site likely to be tainted by pesticides or pollutants. “Mushrooms are sponges, essentially, so you want to harvest them from the most pristine places possible if you're going to be consuming them,” Espo says. Never eat anything you aren’t certain about, cook all mushrooms you find, and consider the buddy system if you’re going into an unknown area to forage. Espo often had a buddy accompany him who would stand on the trail while he wandered away, looking for telltale signs. They could keep talking to one another, ensuring Espo never got lost. But if you do lose your way, stay calm and listen closely to your environment. Espo says he once found his way out of the woods by listening for the sound of cars until he was able to pop back out onto a road.

Feeling ready? Here are Espo’s favorite varieties in Western Pennsylvania.

, are prevalent on logging roads, trails, and disturbed soil. You can find these mushrooms from May to July, though you could get lucky in August. Look for their yellow caps and a white interior. These mushrooms often have an apricot-like smell.

, also known as jack-o'-lantern mushroom. These are bright orange and usually grow in clusters while chanterelles grow individually.

, can be found on dead and decaying trees during spring and summer. They’re identified by their overlap caps, and they grow like they’re on a shelf. 

 in early spring around elm, slippery elm, poplar, cherry, and sycamore trees. Morels can be harder to find, but they are highly coveted. And after all the rain the last few weeks, Espo says Pittsburgh could be a forager’s paradise!

, also known as false morel or turban fungus.

 in Cooks Forest on May 11, or dig into these resources:

National Audubon Society Field Guide To Mushrooms

 by Todd F. Elliott & Steven L. Stephenson

 by Alan E. Bessette, Arleen R. Bessette & David W. Fischer

Where to go, tools of the trade, safety tips, and common mushrooms found in Western Pennsylvania.

How to Forage For Mushrooms in Pittsburgh

A Beginner's Guide to Mushroom Foraging in Pittsburgh

The latest on the best and newest restaurants and bars in Pittsburgh. We'll help you find where to eat, drink, and socialize.

Pittsburgh Food & Drink

Food & Drink

 dreams of a Black birthing or postpartum recovery center in Pittsburgh. But she says that in order for the support systems to be built, locals need to understand exactly what people of color go through here. According to the 

2019 Pittsburgh Gender Equity Commission study

, Black women's maternal mortality is higher in Pittsburgh than 97 percent of similar cities.

That’s why Gordon is committed to sharing the stories of moms, midwives, and doulas through a new documentary, “

Her Dreams: A Story of The Future of Black Birth

“I want people to be drawn to action. I have to do something about this. It’s like we’re in a third-world country,” Gordon says.

The documentary raises funds for maternal health workers, birth workers, continuing education, aspiring doulas, and midwives. It premiered at Kelly Strayhorn Theater this month; 

, introduced in March by the Pennsylvania Black Maternal Health Caucus, is a legislative package of eight bills that would require coverage for doula services and blood pressure monitors, mandate ongoing implicit bias training, and establish the Maternal and Newborn Supply Kit program.

 stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair and seeks to end race-based hair discrimination.

, an educational symposium at the Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center

 at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center

 uplifts Black voices and advocates for systemic changes at the intersectionality of gender and race

 supports Allegheny and Westmoreland County families and communities through community programming, advocacy, research, and training — like the 

 is a reproductive justice organization supporting Black women, Black queer folks, and other marginalized people through leadership development, community care, resources, and mutual aid

 amplifies the voices of Black moms while creating programs to connect them to their communities

 provides doula care and childbirth education for Black families

 is Western PA's first and only licensed, freestanding birth center

 offers pelvic floor support before and after birth

 supports and empowers marginalized pregnant, postpartum, and incarcerated birthing people

Pittsburgh fails Black moms. These organizations are making a difference.

Resources and Events for Black Maternal Health Week in Pittsburgh

A New Film, Resources and Events for Black Maternal Health Week in Pittsburgh

Make Pittsburgh better, one neighbor at a time. Find volunteering opportunities, ways to get involved and give back, and more.

Help Your Pittsburgh Neighbors

Help Your Neighbors

Do you know a middle schooler who could use a little boost and a lot of fun? This May, the local mental health group 

 is kicking off a wellness conference tailored to middle school students. 

 will feature inspirational workshops, expert speakers, and practical coping techniques. It’s taking place at Camp Guyasuta in Sharpsburg on May 8.

The best part? Camp Lucy is completely free. But there are only 200 tickets available, and the organization is encouraging school districts to only register 5-10 students to ensure widespread participation.

The event is led by mental health advocate and Pittsburgh native Jordan Corcoran. Other speakers include 

Julius Boatwright, founder of Steel Smiling

; Ta’lor Pinkston, creator of The Heart Advocate; Julia Broglie, co-founder of BroglieBox; and Gab Bonesso, recognized as a Top 100 Speaker on Mental Resilience.

Find More Pittsburgh Tips!

The May 8 event will feature workshops, expert speakers, and practical coping techniques.

Pittsburgh Kids Can Attend a Free Mental Wellness Day Camp in May

Welcome to your Hey Pittsburgh bulletin board: A virtual space to share volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, workshops, and other ways to help your neighbors.

If you can’t be outside, you might as well be reading about it. 

presented by 3 Rivers Outdoors Co. and CC Mellor Memorial Library will kick off a new season with "The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light" by Paul Bogard and the first in-person discussion on January 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Allegheny County residents can now earn a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) for free through the Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s 

. The course is offered to students 18 to 24 at the Boyce Campus.

 dedicated to creating a community based on shared interests in art, science, and natural history. You can attend the launch party on February 8, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at the Carnegie Science Center’s new Titanic exhibit.

Have a local biz? The Lawrenceville market house is now 

Plus, a Pittsburgh book club for outdoors lovers, free bus driving courses, and a call for vendors.

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group in Pittsburgh

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

Pittsburgh is facing some big issues and great possibilities in 2024. City Cast Pittsburgh host Megan Harris sat down with Managing Editor at 

 Monica Ruiz to talk about what Pittsburgh needs to take a hard look at this year.

The country is always watching the swing state of Pennsylvania during national elections – like this year’s on November 5.

“This [election year] seems to be tinted by the lack of confidence in democracy that unfortunately exists in so many corners. And I think it's going to be as much about whether democracy functions and how it functions and whether we can trust in the result. There will be a lot of people saying we can't trust the result, potentially including one of the presidential candidates, and that'll be as much of an issue as the policy differences.”

Voting officials are worried Pa. isn’t prepared for misinformation

“We have to stop thinking about voting every four years and just remind people that elections happen every single year … And we cannot forget to target our youth. We shouldn't start targeting 18-year-olds about voting when they're 18. Right? We should have these conversations and do a little bit of movement with them prior to so that they're excited and educated once they start voting.”

The city’s school district has a lot of bright spots, but it has a lot of problems too: funding is 

, and there are racial disparities creating 

“[These issues] have existed for quite a long time, but they've existed in an atmosphere that has not been considered a crisis because it's kind of been papered over with federal funds for the last three years since the pandemic. Now the federal funds are running out and all of a sudden you get a crisis that could be crippling, but it could also be an opportunity to address issues if there's leadership and public input and potentially, hopefully, consensus at some point.”

Lawmakers want to invest $5.4 billion to 

Pittsburgh is working to scale up its affordable units, but the immediate issues prevail: homeless shelters often 

 “Everybody wants to live in a nice neighborhood, right? But there's a big difference between revitalization and gentrification. If we're going to revitalize these communities, we have to do it in a way where we're including the people that are there and keeping them there… But more and more, we're seeing people moving outside of the city because they no longer can afford to live here. And they're living in areas where there are food deserts, no pharmacies, nowhere for them to get preventative health care.”

 “We're really struggling with the right balance of building new stuff, rehabilitating and preserving existing units, coming up with new models and new transitional housing options. It’s really kind of THE struggle, I think, for 2024 for this region.”

. Shuman, Pittsburgh’s juvenile detention facility, has been closed since 2021, but it is 

 “I think that we have to start thinking about the root causes of how people end up in jail. Right? So if we start funding better mental health services, better housing, which are many of the reasons why people end up in these places, we can avoid people going into [incarceration]. It's just such a complex situation, where it's not just one thing. People need to stop dying in the Allegheny County Jail. There's so many things that need to change… And the fact that we have juveniles in the Allegheny County Jail is so unfathomable.”

“Our country, including our region, incarcerates at a rate that just doesn't have other precedent in the developed world. Locally, we've had problems with healthcare and mental healthcare at the county jail. We've really struggled to figure out how to best deal with youth who are charged with offenses. And the impending reopening of Schuman is going to bring all that to a head where we have a contractor, Adelphoi, that has faced problems and accusations in some markets.”

Pittsburgh elections, public school problems, affordable housing, and challenges for incarceration facilities.

The Biggest Issues Facing Pittsburgh in 2024

What Pittsburghers have been wondering. We break down why things in Pittsburgh are the way they are and how they work.

Pittsburgh, Explained

. Sew, tuft, make candles, do simple woodshop projects, and more. Haven’t taken a class? 

United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania needs 150 volunteers to help their neighbors do their taxes through the 

 in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.

 from S&T Bank, in partnership with the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, will have local students “

” The new scholarships, titled after living legend and long-time broadcaster Mike Lange, support students pursuing a degree in communications, marketing, or business who also demonstrate a commitment to community.

Pittsburgh Action Against Rape has a service industry program that teaches workers how to create safe spaces for guests and patrons, effective bystander intervention techniques, and responsible responses to disclosures. ⁠They 

 for the staff at Grist House, and you can get one for your establishment, too, by emailing at 

Plus, scholarships named for Mike Lange, help neighbors do their taxes, and open studio time at WorkshopPGH.

Prevent Assault at Pittsburgh Restaurants and Bars with Project Last Call

Project Last Call Helps Pittsburgh Restaurants and Bars Prevent Assault

Did you know a Pittsburgher founded Banned Books Week?

Born and raised in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood,  

, and in 1982, she started Banned Books Week as a time for librarians, teachers, and readers of all ages to celebrate “forbidden” titles and protect the public’s right to seek information and express themselves without barriers.

 of parents and stakeholders across the country have filed grievances with books representing LQBTQ+ themes and protagonists, as well as characters of color. 

PEN America’s Index of School Book Bans

 found that 75% of reported book bans in the last school year 

, mainly from advocacy groups, elected officials, or enacted legislation.

Luckily Pittsburgh and outlying communities have faced few challenges so far — but that could change.

Last year, Pennsylvania ranked third in the nation

 for book bans, with 457 challenges across 11 districts — many in Central Bucks County where our own Mallory Falk chronicled 

Legislators are weighing in, too. Lancaster Online shared a 

 to ban book bans at libraries and public schools and 

 that would require schools to notify parents about "sexually explicit content" in curriculums.

Banned Books Week runs this week through Saturday, Oct. 7 nationwide. If you’re fired up to fight for libraries and banned books, here’s how to participate in the ‘Burgh:

At the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s 

 branch, receive a complimentary copy of one of the library staff member’s favorite banned books.

The man who helped millennials fall in love with reading will be hosting 

 on his anti-censorship work in conversation with the Banned Books Week organization.

 with renowned authors, including Dave Eggers and Carmen Maria Machado, plus banned authors such as Maia Kobabe who wrote “Gender Queer,” and more.

Banned Books Week runs from Oct. 1 through Saturday, Oct. 7 nationwide. Here’s how to participate in Pittsburgh if you’re fired up to fight for libraries and banned books.

How to Observe Banned Books Week in Pittsburgh

It’s back to school season! Lots of famous faces once graced the halls of Pittsburgh-area high schools. Think you can guess who’s who?

Up top: Actress Ming-Na Wen from “Mulan” and “Agents of Shield” — Mt. Lebanon High School, class of 1981. 

Her family owns the Chinatown Inn restaurant in Downtown

Actor Jeff Goldblum from “Jurassic Park” and “The Fly” — West Mifflin North High School, class of 1970.

Actor Joe Manganiello from “Magic Mike” and “True Blood”— Mt. Lebanon High School, class of 1995.

Actor Michael Keaton from “Batman” to “Birdman” — Montour High School, class of 1969.

Shoutout to Odd Pittsburgh for researching 

these and more famous former Pittsburgh kiddos.

It’s back to school season! Can you recognize these native Pittsburgh celebrities from their high school photos?

education

Impressionist Painter Mary Cassatt Was a Suffragist From Pittsburgh

Find These Local Authors at the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books

A Beginner's Guide to Mushroom Foraging in Pittsburgh

Latest articles

Impressionist Painter Mary Cassatt Was a Suffragist From Pittsburgh

Find These Local Authors at the Greater Pittsburgh Festival of Books

A Beginner's Guide to Mushroom Foraging in Pittsburgh

A New Film, Resources and Events for Black Maternal Health Week in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Kids Can Attend a Free Mental Wellness Day Camp in May

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

The Biggest Issues Facing Pittsburgh in 2024

Latest articles

A New Film, Resources and Events for Black Maternal Health Week in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Kids Can Attend a Free Mental Wellness Day Camp in May

Join the Carnegie Connectors, a New Young Professionals Group

The Biggest Issues Facing Pittsburgh in 2024

Project Last Call Helps Pittsburgh Restaurants and Bars Prevent Assault

How to Observe Banned Books Week in Pittsburgh

Which Celebrities Graduated from High School in Pittsburgh?