Learn about Immigration in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh: A Short History

The video, ‘Pittsburgh: A Short History,’ had its origins in a ride I took on the 28x bus from the Pittsburgh International Airport on a winter night several years ago. The bus was crowded with riders, most of whom worked at the airport or at the nearby mall and I noticed how many different languages they spoke. I speculated that they were likely immigrants and refugees to the city, some very recent , and probably lacked much knowledge of Pittsburgh’s varied history. I decided that a short video of the city’s history might be helpful to familiarize them with their new home. I contacted my friend Andi Fischhoff who had done work with refugees at the Jewish Children and Community Service regarding the idea and she responded enthusiastically. Through Andi’s contacts we were able to obtain the immeasurable assistance of filmmaker Andres Tapia-Urzua , who was also a great help with the translations. We are pleased that the video, “Pittsburgh: A Short History,” will be used on the Welcoming Pittsburgh site.

-Joel A. Tarr, with Andi Fischhoff and Andres Tapia-Urzua

Pittsburgh: A Short Story Translated Videos

STARS Program

Learn about Pittsburgh's foreign talent and the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) STARS program.