Steel Town: A Black Punk Memoir from the Haunted Summer of 1982 - Paperback

I wrote Steel Town because some summers change everything. The summer of 1982 was one of those summers for me. I was sixteen, restless, and searching for a place where I could be seen-truly seen-for all that I was and all I was becoming. This book is a work of fiction inspired by true experiences. While the events, characters, and cityscapes are drawn from my life, some elements have been imagined, exaggerated, or reinterpreted to capture the spirit, emotions, and intensity of that summer. Pittsburgh, with its steel mills, smoky skies, and shadowed corners, became a crucible. It was a city alive with grit, danger, music, and art, where I discovered punk, forged friendships that would shape me, and encountered mysteries that would haunt and inspire me. Through these pages, I hope to honor the experiences and the art that refuses to be forgotten, while telling a story that blends my memory and imagination.

Written by Leslie Cunningham in 2025 Published by TRIBES.