The inaugural Pittsburgh Walk of Fame is giving Andrew Carnegie a star — but some say his legacy deserves an asterisk, taking aim at the prominent industrialist's checkered past.

Why it matters: The debate reflects a larger question: How do we remember our most influential figures without ignoring the darker chapters of their lives?

Catch up quick: The first inductees, including Fred Rogers, August Wilson, Rachel Carson and Jonas Salk, will be given bronze stars in the Strip District.

• Chosen through public nominations and vetted by more than 100 local leaders, the walk celebrates Southwestern Pennsylvanians who helped shape the nation and invites out-of-towners to discover their stories.

Driving the news: While some Axios Pittsburgh readers and social media users have praised the inaugural class as a reflection of the area's national impact, others criticized Carnegie's inclusion, citing his role in the violent Homestead Strike, support for eugenics research, and his ties to the deadly Johnstown Flood.

What they're saying: "Andrew Carnegie was a robber baron who profited from exploiting miners and their families. Living and working conditions were horrific," TikToker @jenevivebrady said.

• "I'm proud of my Pittsburgh heritage, and I do recognize the beautiful additions to this great city that Carnegie contributed," she later added. "But that's after he gained his wealth from the backs of immigrants and the working class. I just believe those who sacrificed their lives to make Pittsburgh great should be acknowledged."

The other side: Those tasked with selecting this year's inductees discussed the full scope of Carnegie's story but ultimately recognized his philanthropic contributions — from more than 2,000 libraries and museums to the founding of Carnegie Mellon University, Walk of Fame founder Nancy Polinsky Johnson said.

• Few capitalists of his era, she said, championed the idea that the wealthy have a moral duty to give back. The Scottish immigrant-turned-steel magnate gave away his fortune to fund libraries, schools, museums, scientific research and more.

Between the lines: "It's something everyone acknowledges, and it's true of our founding fathers," she said. "But there's no question that Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy was extremely valuable not just to this region, but to the world."

What's next: The Walk of Fame induction ceremony will be held at 10:30am on Oct. 20 at the Strip District Terminal.

Go deeper

Pennsylvania is among 16 states suing the Trump administration over what plaintiffs call a coordinated effort to intimidate providers into halting gender-affirming care for minors.

The big picture: The suit centers on a January executive order issued by President Trump, along with subsequent administration actions, that states argue amount to a de facto ban on transition-related care.

Catch up quick: A wave of federal actions under President Trump has put hospitals that provide gender-affirming care to people under 19 on notice.

The latest: The administration's actions are not only denying medically necessary care, but coercing hospitals and doctors into violating anti-discrimination and other state laws, per the complaint.

• The states asked the court for an injunction, saying the actions were unlawful and intrude on their authority to enforce their own laws.
• The lawsuit notes that the orders have led Pennsylvania health systems like UPMC, Penn State Health, and Penn Medicine to halt some or all gender-affirming medical care for patients under 19.

Between the lines: While courts have temporarily blocked the administration from stripping federal funding from providers of gender-affirming medical services, the Justice Department has taken other steps, including subpoenaing doctors for patient information.

• UPMC was among more than 20 doctors and clinics subpoenaed.

What they're saying: "This reduction in services has caused significant harm to transgender adolescents in the Plaintiff States, depriving them of essential care at a critical time in their development," the states say in the suit.

The other side: The White House last week took credit for halting what it called "child sexual mutilation," listing more than a dozen health systems that had stopped offering puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries.

Keep reading

🧮 Carnegie Mellon launched a new AI-focused institute to help mathematicians "harness the power of artificial intelligence to solve problems impacting the economy, health care, cybersecurity and beyond." Researchers will apply AI to speed up and strengthen mathematical reasoning. (Press release)

😱 Kennywood is debuting a new haunted house called Detached at this year's Phantom Fall Fest starting Sept. 12. The spooky attraction will send brave visitors into a deranged puppet master's toy store. (WTAE)

🏙️ A familiar Mount Washington billboard once home to the iconic Iron City ad and more recently Pond Lehocky has been updated again — now featuring the Pennsylvania law firm's name alongside a Steelers logo to mark their official partnership. (KDKA)

We asked readers to tell us who deserves a spot on next year's Walk of Fame — and Pittsburghers delivered.

The big picture: Your picks celebrated seminal world figures, from sports legends to industrial pioneers. Here are some of the most mentioned names from our inbox:

• David Lawrence, George Westinghouse, Honus Wagner, Franco Harris, Willie Stargell, Art Rooney, Mario Lemieux, Billy Porter, H.J. Heinz, and Jimmy Stewart.

💭 Chrissy's thought bubble: My top picks are actor Jeff Goldblum, horror icon George Romero, and novelist/playwright Gertrude Stein.

Our city-loving mascot has fled the hustle for some fresh air.

Where's Nebby this time? Here's a clue:

• Once a vital escape route, this record-holder is now taking a little rest.

Reply to this email with your guesses!