Akron Stories Project Brings Rubber Worker Histories to Life [Audio] - Tire Review Magazine

Akron Stories Project Brings Rubber Worker Histories to Life [Audio]

Today’s tire industry is home to legacy brands such as Goodyear, Firestone, BF Goodrich, General Tire, Mohawk Rubber. The list goes on. Though the ones listed here have one thing in common: They started in Akron, Ohio. In fact, as these tire manufacturers developed, so did the city of Akron. Now, the memories and stories from those that helped build these tire giants are being immortalized for years to come in the Akron Rubber Worker Statue & Stories Project.

The project started seven years ago, when Akronite Miriam Ray realized there was nothing in the city to honor early rubber industry workers, which included some of her family members. However, with the help of Mac Love, head of creative intelligence agency Art x Love, and the City of Akron and other sponsors, a Rubber Worker Statue was recently unveiled in downtown Akron. The stories of these rubber industry workers live on in the Akron Stories project.

In this episode of What’s Treading with Tire Review, we invite Ray, the project’s founder, and Love, the project lead, into our studios to explain more about the Akron Stories project and how you can contribute to it.

Ray and Love discuss:

  • How the Akron Rubber Worker Statue & Stories Project came to fruition [1:19]
  • What inspired the look of the statue and how its origins were told through stories [4:02]
  • How the oral history storytelling element of the project was developed and how a grassroots effort spurred a movement to commemorate the people who made Akron the “Rubber Capital of the World” in the early 20th century [6:00]
  • Details of the statue and how it’s becoming an Akron landmark that memorializes city’s early rubber industry history [8:09]
  • How, due to its rubber industry roots, Akron was on the cusp of societal innovation, from creating the Pre-K school system to inventing the football huddle [12:02]
  • Challenges the group encountered initially with the statue and project and how they overcame them with a motto of doing the project for the people of Akron [13:40]
  • How the Akron Stories project is being funded currently and how you can contribute to the cause, submit a story and show your support [16:10]
  • Ray’s and Love’s favorite stories from the early days of the rubber industry from the hundreds of stories submitted to the Akron Stories project [18:57]

Listen here or subscribe to “What’s Treading with Tire Review” on Apple PodcastsSpotifyGoogle PlayYouTube and Spreaker

To learn more about the Akron Stories project, its sponsors and how you can contribute to the cause, click here.

You May Also Like

Hankook Tire America president unpacks the details of the new Dynapro HPX

In this episode of What’s Treading, we get into the nitty-gritty details surrounding Hankook’s new Dynapro HPX tire.

WT-hankook-1400x700

A successful tire launch seems to fall somewhere in the middle of innovation, customer satisfaction and dealer support. By that account, Hankook Tire seems to have followed the tire launch playbook to the letter with the recent debut of its all-season touring tire, the Dynapro HPX, designed for SUVs.

Treads app aims to steer drivers to tire dealers using AI

Zach Olson, founder and CEO of Treads, explains how his direct-to-consumer mobile app uses AI to simplify the car maintenance process.

WT-treads-1400x700
Why BKT wants to maximize the sustainability of OTR tires

BKT’s vice president of OTR delves into the complexities of tire supply during the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles in the OTR sector.

Whats-Treading-BKT-1400x700
Johnny g & Friends: Working On the Business Instead of In the Business [Audio]

In this season-end wrap-up, hear some powerful advice from Johnny g’s guests.

JGyearend
Tire Agent Hopes to Reinvent the Online Tire Retail Buying Experience

Jared Kugel, CEO of Tire Agent, shares insights on his company’s strategic customer service methodologies and overall customer engagement.

whats-treading-tire-agent-1400x700

Other Posts

Hankook Tire America president unpacks the details of the new Dynapro HPX

In this episode of What’s Treading, we get into the nitty-gritty details surrounding Hankook’s new Dynapro HPX tire.

WT-hankook-1400x700
Treads app aims to steer drivers to tire dealers using AI

Zach Olson, founder and CEO of Treads, explains how his direct-to-consumer mobile app uses AI to simplify the car maintenance process.

WT-treads-1400x700
Why BKT wants to maximize the sustainability of OTR tires

BKT’s vice president of OTR delves into the complexities of tire supply during the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles in the OTR sector.

Whats-Treading-BKT-1400x700
Tire Agent Hopes to Reinvent the Online Tire Retail Buying Experience

Jared Kugel, CEO of Tire Agent, shares insights on his company’s strategic customer service methodologies and overall customer engagement.

whats-treading-tire-agent-1400x700