Film Screening Peerless City Director Amanda Page Moderator YSU Film Scholar Laura Beadling
Friday, October 21 at 11:00AM at the Youngstown Historical Center for Industry & Labor (the Steel Museum) at 151 W. Wood St. Sponsored by the Grace Ruth Memorial Endowed Professorship in English
If you've heard of Portsmouth, Ohio, it's because you're either 1.) from there, or 2.) seen it mentioned in a headline that claims it is the "pill mill capital of America." But, before it was "ground zero for the opioid epidemic," it was the "Peerless City," hyped by enthusiastic boosters, revered by its residents, and economic rival to Cincinnati and other cities along the Ohio River.
The film Peerless City tells the story of Portsmouth, from its days as the "Peerless City," through its time as "Where Southern Hospitality Begins," to the present day, as it works to be the "Comeback City." We explore the impact a slogan has on civic pride, on a sense of history, and how a slogan can inspire a sense of belonging in the people who live in the place it is meant to represent.
This free screening is part of Lit Youngstown's 2022 Fall Literary Festival, with many thanks to the Grace Ruth Memorial Endowed Professorship in English and the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor. To learn more about the festival, click here. https://www.lityoungstown.org/2022-fall-festival-details