This Day in Labor History: October 27, 1948. An air inversion trapped the pollution spewed out by U.S. Steel-owned factories in Donora, Pennsylvania. The Donora Smog killed 20 people and sickened 6000 others. Let's talk about this horrible moment and how it spurred pollution controls!
October 27, 2025 at 12:40 PM
This Day in Labor History: October 27, 1948. An air inversion trapped the pollution spewed out by U.S. Steel-owned factories in Donora, Pennsylvania. The Donora Smog killed 20 people and sickened 6000 others. Let's talk about this horrible moment and how it spurred pollution controls!
Second-best LEFT-HANDED OUTFIELDER born in Donora on Nov. 21.
One of my favorite random baseball oddities is that Ken Griffey Jr. is the 2nd best ballplayer to be born on November 21st in Donora, PA.
November 23, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Second-best LEFT-HANDED OUTFIELDER born in Donora on Nov. 21.
October 29th, 1948:
A historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more. The image, taken at noon on October 29th, shows the deadly smog blanketing Donora. The image is from the NOAA Ocean Service Education.
A historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more. The image, taken at noon on October 29th, shows the deadly smog blanketing Donora. The image is from the NOAA Ocean Service Education.
October 29, 2024 at 10:19 AM
October 29th, 1948:
A historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more. The image, taken at noon on October 29th, shows the deadly smog blanketing Donora. The image is from the NOAA Ocean Service Education.
A historic smog event occurred in the town of Donora, Pennsylvania. The smog killed 20 people and sickened 7,000 more. The image, taken at noon on October 29th, shows the deadly smog blanketing Donora. The image is from the NOAA Ocean Service Education.
#ResistanceRoots
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
October 30, 2025 at 12:41 AM
#ResistanceRoots
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
Donora, Pennsylvania
Pop: 4,562
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donora,_Pennsylvania
Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231805
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231908
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231903
Pop: 4,562
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donora,_Pennsylvania
Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231805
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231908
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231903
June 25, 2026 at 2:35 AM
4 players in MLB history born in Donora, PA.
Half of them were born on November 21 and hit at least 475 home runs
Half of them were born on November 21 and hit at least 475 home runs
November 21, 2024 at 3:25 PM
4 players in MLB history born in Donora, PA.
Half of them were born on November 21 and hit at least 475 home runs
Half of them were born on November 21 and hit at least 475 home runs
Donora PA USA
#newtopographics #urbanlandscapes #manalteredlandscape #documentingplaces #documentaryphotography #lensculture #photography #photographer #photograph
#newtopographics #urbanlandscapes #manalteredlandscape #documentingplaces #documentaryphotography #lensculture #photography #photographer #photograph
February 12, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Donora was a town dominated by U.S. Steel. Southeast of Pittsburgh, the town had both the Donora Zinc Works and the American Steel and Wire plant, both owned by U.S. Steel.
October 27, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Donora was a town dominated by U.S. Steel. Southeast of Pittsburgh, the town had both the Donora Zinc Works and the American Steel and Wire plant, both owned by U.S. Steel.
it won't remove the threat, Democrats have the same donora as Republicans. unshackling politics from billionaires might give us and Dems a chance though
April 7, 2026 at 5:57 PM
it won't remove the threat, Democrats have the same donora as Republicans. unshackling politics from billionaires might give us and Dems a chance though
Donora PA USA
#newtopographics #urbanlandscapes #urbanism #urbanphotography #manalteredlandscape #documentingplaces #documentaryphotography #lensculture #photography #photographer #photograph #colorphotography
#newtopographics #urbanlandscapes #urbanism #urbanphotography #manalteredlandscape #documentingplaces #documentaryphotography #lensculture #photography #photographer #photograph #colorphotography
September 15, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Alas, Donora had not passed such regulations.
October 27, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Alas, Donora had not passed such regulations.
Thinking also of the 1948 Donora smog that killed 20 people outright and made thousands sick. One of the reasons the clean air movement started. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Do...
July 4, 2024 at 7:11 PM
Thinking also of the 1948 Donora smog that killed 20 people outright and made thousands sick. One of the reasons the clean air movement started. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Do...
Since we are focusing on saving the planet to save our health today, I’ll share a paper I and colleagues wrote about the 1948 Donora Smog, an industrial pollution event that killed 20 and sickened 5900 others.
Cadmium and lead measured in a nearby lake still remain above recommended levels.
Cadmium and lead measured in a nearby lake still remain above recommended levels.
The Donora Smog Revisited: 70 Years After the Event That Inspired the Clean Air Act | AJPH | Vol. 108 Issue S2
At a storefront museum approximately 25 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a sign reads, “Clean Air Started Here.” This is not hyperbole. At the end of October 1948, the communities of Donor...
ajph.aphapublications.org
April 7, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Since we are focusing on saving the planet to save our health today, I’ll share a paper I and colleagues wrote about the 1948 Donora Smog, an industrial pollution event that killed 20 and sickened 5900 others.
Cadmium and lead measured in a nearby lake still remain above recommended levels.
Cadmium and lead measured in a nearby lake still remain above recommended levels.
Reminder that the whole clean air movement started because of smog literally killing dozens of people and sickening thousands within a month. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Do...
June 12, 2025 at 2:58 AM
Reminder that the whole clean air movement started because of smog literally killing dozens of people and sickening thousands within a month. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Do...
Stan Musial and Ken Griffey Jr. were born in Donora, Pennsylvania, on this date in 1920 and 1969.
November 21, 2024 at 3:50 PM
Stan Musial and Ken Griffey Jr. were born in Donora, Pennsylvania, on this date in 1920 and 1969.
Shivon, Donora, Fermoy and Ceres
November 10, 2024 at 3:51 PM
Shivon, Donora, Fermoy and Ceres
Yay! Now we can go back to when America was truly great.
1948 Donora smog - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
January 12, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Yay! Now we can go back to when America was truly great.
Amdur began her most famous work following the 1948 Donora Smog, a tragic air pollution event in Pennsylvania that killed 20 people and sickened thousands. /2
You can read more about the Donora Smog in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/bamb...
You can read more about the Donora Smog in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/bamb...
#ResistanceRoots
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
#ResistanceEarth
Today in history, 1948: Dense smog claims 11 elderly victims in Donora, Pa. Fog had trapped toxic pollutants from a zinc smelting plant close to the ground, making thousands sick. The tragedy led to the passage of the 1955 Clean Air Act. /1
February 19, 2026 at 1:46 AM
Amdur began her most famous work following the 1948 Donora Smog, a tragic air pollution event in Pennsylvania that killed 20 people and sickened thousands. /2
You can read more about the Donora Smog in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/bamb...
You can read more about the Donora Smog in this thread:
bsky.app/profile/bamb...
The zinc smelting plant had been releasing high levels of sulfuric acid, carbon monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere for years. There was no regulation of air pollution at that time. Everything changed when fog rolled into Donora on Oct. 26, 1948, trapping pollution for five days. /2
October 30, 2025 at 12:41 AM
The zinc smelting plant had been releasing high levels of sulfuric acid, carbon monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere for years. There was no regulation of air pollution at that time. Everything changed when fog rolled into Donora on Oct. 26, 1948, trapping pollution for five days. /2
And yes, for you environmental scientists, it's *that* Donora.
The Deadly Donora Smog of 1948 Spurred Environmental Protection—But Have We Forgotten the Lesson?
Steel and zinc industries provided Donora residents with work, but also robbed them of their health, and for some, their lives
www.smithsonianmag.com
October 11, 2025 at 11:04 PM
And yes, for you environmental scientists, it's *that* Donora.
Donora, Pennsylvania
Pop: 4,562
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donora,_Pennsylvania
Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231805
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8819066
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231903
Pop: 4,562
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donora,_Pennsylvania
Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231805
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8819066
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=148231903
October 27, 2025 at 7:37 PM
During Halloween week in 1948, Donora, PA was stricken by a smog that killed 20 and sickened 40% of the town.
Author Kathleen Shoop describes what happened when there were no environmental regulations on industrial pollution.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is undermining the EPA.
Author Kathleen Shoop describes what happened when there were no environmental regulations on industrial pollution.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is undermining the EPA.
The Killing Smog of Donora, Pennsylvania: A Halloween Reminder from the Past | Defend Public Health
The Trump administration is peeling back Environmental Protection Agency regulations, firing its staff, and canceling its research funding. This week, Kathleen Shoop, PhD, author and expert on the Don...
www.defendpublichealth.org
October 30, 2025 at 2:40 PM
During Halloween week in 1948, Donora, PA was stricken by a smog that killed 20 and sickened 40% of the town.
Author Kathleen Shoop describes what happened when there were no environmental regulations on industrial pollution.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is undermining the EPA.
Author Kathleen Shoop describes what happened when there were no environmental regulations on industrial pollution.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is undermining the EPA.