Nominations are once again open for the next induction class of the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame.
In October, the first 10 bronze stars were unveiled in the Hollywood-style installation embedded in the sidewalk in front of The Terminal in the Strip District, which runs along Smallman Street. The first induction class included:
- George Benson, a famed jazz musician born in the city’s Hill District
- Nellie Bly, a pioneering investigative journalist, who was born in Armstrong County
- Andy Warhol, who was raised in Oakland and is considered among the most important artists of the 20th century
- August Wilson, a Hill District native and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright best known for plays chronicling the experiences of America’s Black community
- Andrew Carnegie, the industrialist and philanthropist who led the expansion of the steel industry in the late 19th century
- Rachel Carson, a conservationist and writer, who was born in Springdale
- Roberto Clemente, the Pittsburgh Pirates legend, who also is remembered for his humanitarian efforts
- Michael Keaton, the Oscar-nominated actor who has played Batman, Birdman and Beetlejuice
- Fred Rogers, who was born and raised in Latrobe and hosted the iconic children’s TV show “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood”
- Jonas Salk, who led the University of Pittsburgh medical research team that developed the polio vaccine
Nancy Polinsky Johnson, the project’s founder and executive director, anticipates adding 10 people each year for the next three years before slowing the pace to about three per year.
Ten more honorees will receive their very own star and narrative plaque in 2026, and members of the public can submit names for consideration until 5 p.m. on Jan. 30.
Submissions can be made via the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame website, pittsburghwalkoffame.org, emailed to nominate@pittsburghwalkoffame.org or sent to Pittsburgh Walk of Fame, P.O. Box 8127, Pittsburgh, PA 15217.
To be eligible for a star, nominees must have been born in or spent their formative, creative or most impactful years in Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington or Westmoreland counties. Their contributions must have made a national impact on America’s cultural heritage.
Nominees may be living or deceased and may come from a wide range of fields, including art, science, politics, music, philanthropy, film, medicine, industry, dance, sports, entertainment, education, journalism, broadcasting and theater.
Submissions must include the following:
- Nominee’s field of expertise and/or major accomplishment
- Connection to the Pittsburgh region
- Their national impact on American culture
- Contact information for the person making the nomination
After the nomination period closes, the names will be presented to a selection committee for consideration. Members of that committee have an “informed understanding” of the region’s cultural heritage and represent various races, ethnicities, genders and backgrounds, according to the announcement.
The selection committee will include leaders from colleges and universities, cultural institutions, news outlets, historical societies, chambers of commerce, community development associations and tourism bureaus across the 10-county Southwestern Pennsylvania region listed above.
Once the selection committee votes on the nominees, the board of directors of the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame will then make the final determination for this year’s class.
More than 250 Western Pennsylvania icons were nominated last year for the first round of inductees, according to Johnson.
She told TribLive previously that she was inspired to launch the Pittsburgh Walk of Fame after visiting similar installations across the country like in St. Louis. Pittsburgh Walk of Fame Inc. was established in 2024 as a registered nonprofit organization.
Similar to last year, this year’s class of honorees will be announced in the spring, with an induction ceremony to be held in the fall.
The Pittsburgh Walk of Fame is made in partnership with McCaffery Interests Inc., which completed the renovation of The Terminal in 2019 with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the city of Pittsburgh.
