November, sullen and colorless, forewarns of impending seasonal changes. Trees that only weeks ago provided shade, refuge and beauty, now stand naked. Not unlike the social climate that once offered stability and now lays bare society’s vulnerabilities and discord.

The Great Lakes themselves succumb to November upheavals. The month is the most violent and dangerous period for lake seafarers. On Nov. 10, 1975, the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior. This year, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fitzgerald, the largest vessel ever lost in the lakes, and its 29 crew members.

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