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Top headlines of the week, April 11, 2026
Here are some stories you may have missed this week in Northeast Ohio.
Angela Watkins’ 2025 “Massillon Steel: The 1937 Columbia Heights Massacre” explained the violent strike that involved some 80,000 workers and included the “Memorial Day Massacre,” in which 10 protesters were killed and around 70 injured.
That violent summer continues in Watkins’ second book, “Canton Steel: Corporate’s 1937 Blueprint for Union Busting,” which reports on the dirty methods used by “Little Steel” to break the actions of the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel, and Tin Workers of North America and force a return to work.
Contracts were extremely favorable to the company; Republic did not allow collective bargaining. A Republic executive told a worker “You will never touch Republic Steel.” Company executives yelled at the pickets, calling them “radicals and bums who didn’t want to work.” Children were tear-gassed on their way home from school.
The methods used by the steel companies were depressingly similar to those in Massillon. Letters printed in newspapers threatened employees who were fired for being on picket lines. A Citizens Law-and-Order League, much like Massillon Law and Order League, was purported to protect citizens and “maintain and perpetuate the good name of the City of Canton.”
As in Massillon, special police officers were deputized. The Citizens’ Protective Committee stressed that the deputies would not act except in defense. A Canton motorist reported being attacked by men who cut her car’s ignition wires with bayonets; she believed the attack was sparked by a sign on her car reading “Keep Canton Schools for Our Children and Not the National Guard.”
The entire city was caught up in the strike, with residents seeing armored cars in the streets and reading the advertising and propaganda campaigns which were picked up by the Youngstown plants. Intimidation, bullying and spies were among the tactics.
In “Massillon Steel,” Watkins explained that “Big Steel” was the major corporations U.S. Steel and Jones & Laughlin; “Little Steel” was the smaller Inland, Republic and Youngstown Sheet and Tube.
The strikers wanted more money and better conditions, which they didn’t get, but one positive thing that came from the labor troubles was the idea to establish a trade school affiliated with Canton High School, to provide skilled workers for industry.
“Canton Steel” (156 pages, softcover) costs $12.99 from online retailers. Watkins has announced “Mahoning Valley Steel” and “Cleveland Steel” as “coming soon.” She is an alumna of Kent State University and has worked in broadcast and print journalism and as a marketing manager for a cosmetics company. She is the daughter of an Italian-born worker for Republic Steel.
Angela Watkins will sign “Canton Steel” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 at the Stark County Local History and Genealogy Fair at the Massillon Museum, 121 Lincoln Way E.
Events
Fireside Book Shop (29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Brenda Haas signs “Finding Sutton’s Choice,” featured in the March 8 Book Talk, 1 to 3 p.m. April 19.
Westlake Porter Public Library (27333 Center Ridge Road): A Local Author Meet and Greet features refreshments and 18 authors, including Dave Eifert, Mark Dawidziak and Dennis Keating, 2 to 4 p.m. April 19. See the list at westlakelibrary.org.
Shaker Heights Public Library (16500 Van Aken Blvd.): Tara Pringle Jefferson signs “Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self-Care and Generational Healing,” 7 to 8 p.m. April 21. Register at shakerlibrary.org.
Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library: Miranda Cowley Heller, author of “The Paper Palace,” joins the Online Author Talk series with “Lush Lyricism and Intimate Confessions,” 2 to 3 p.m. April 22. Register at smfpl.org.
Dover Public Library (525 N. Walnut St.): Sheri Yutzy talks about her debut young adult fantasy “The Seller of Secrets,” 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 22. Register at doverlibrary.org.
Lakewood Public Library (15425 Detroit Ave.): Joy King signs “Hope: Reignite Your Hope & Rewrite Your Story,” 7 p.m. April 22.
Medina County District Library (210 S. Broadway): There is a waiting list to see Max Brallier, author “The Last Kids on Earth,” from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. April 23. Go to mcdl.info.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (Parma-Snow branch, 2121 Snow Road): James Patterson (Alex Cross mystery series) and his daughter Susan Patterson sign “The Mother-Daughter Book Club,” 7 to 8 p.m. April 23. The $30 admission includes a copy of the book. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
First Christian Church (6900 Market Ave. N, Canton): Waiting list to see “Dancing with the Stars” choreographer Derek Hough talk about “Taking the Lead: Lessons from a Life in Motion,” 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. April 23. Free, but tickets required; other ticket options range from $25 to $125. starklibrary.org/speaking-of-books
Heights Theater (2781 Euclid Heights Blvd., Cleveland Heights): Cleveland Arts Prize-winning poets including Ali Black, Mary Biddinger, George Bilgere, Philip Metres and Mary Weems read from their work, 7 to 9 p.m. April 24. Free.
Black Cat Books (400 S. Court St., Medina): Independent Bookstore Day features authors Sarah Forester Davis and Kris Renee, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25.
Loganberry Books (13015 Larchmere Blvd., Shaker Heights): Independent Bookstore Day features authors including Marie Vibbert, Elizabeth Zaleski and Daniel Coyle, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 25. See the list and schedule at loganberrybooks.com.
Learned Owl Book (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Independent Bookstore Day brings Kent author Julie Hatcher and her romance “Not Quite By the Book,” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 25.
Books a Go Go (220 W. Main St., Ravenna): Independent Bookstore Day features Jan Morrill reading from her storybook “The Magical Red Kimono,” 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 25; from 2 to 4 p.m. Anita Calleri signs her debut romance “Meet Me in Marco.”
Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County (305 Wick Ave., Youngstown): William G. Krejci talks about “Forgotten Hauntings of Northeast Ohio,” 2 to 3 p.m. April 25.
Ashland Public Library (224 Claremont Ave.): Daniel K. Williams reads from “The Search for a Rational Faith: Reason and Belief in the History of American Christianity,” 2 to 3 p.m. April 25. Register at ashland.lib.oh.us.
Cuyahoga County Public Library (South Euclid-Lyndhurst branch, 1876 S. Green Road, South Euclid): Poet Mary Simmons reads from her debut collection “Mother, Daughter, Augur,” 2 to 3 p.m. April 25. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.
Announcement
Three Ohio natives are among the nominees for the 2026 Buckeye Teen Book Award. In the category for grades 9-12 are Stow resident Misty Wilson for her young adult romance “Falling Like Leaves” and Pickerington native Natalie D. Richards for “49 Miles Alone,” which was also nominated for a 2025 Edgar Allan Poe Award in the Best Young Adult category. In the Buckeye Children’s Book Award category for grades 3-5 is Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants series) for “Dog Man: Big Jim Believes,” 14th in the Dog Man series about a caped superhero. Voting, open to any student in Ohio, begins Sept. 1 and ends Nov. 10 at bcbookaward.info.
Email information about books of local interest and event notices at least two weeks in advance to [email protected]. I tweet at @BarbaraMcI.
