Celebration of Black Films: Keith A. Beauchamp's "The Untold Story of Emmett Till" (2018) was 9 years in the making & includes interviews with family members. It is a remarkable achievement & excellent documentary by a filmmaker who told me: "I am the man I am today because of Emmett Louis Till."

Pam Bondi should be fired, but the barrage of white males on this platform & in NYT berating her are a misogynistic mob. Instead Mr. Bruni, write columns about the history of each sex offender in a top government post. There are dozens of them. They're all white males. bit.ly/4rmUoQZ

They're plentiful in my NYC park, too. Lovely and spunky birds!

I saw one yesterday in New York City, along with Ruby Crowned Kinglets! Looks like early migration despite winter temps . . . but then some areas of Florida are in the 50s.

Knight filed a patent interference suit against Charles Annan. His argument? A woman "couldn't possibly understand the mechanical complexities" of such a machine. She provided overwhelming proof including detailed hand-drawn blueprints & won (US patent 116,842). First US woman to win such a case.

Inventor Margaret Knight was born #OTD in 1838. She invented a machine that automatically cut, folded & glued flat-bottomed paper bags which enabled the mass production of paper bags (previously done by hand). #WomenInSTEM One of her machinists filed for a patent first. What did Knight do? (1/2)

My Black History Month Series: Rebecca Hall's impressive debut film, "Passing," based on Nella Larson's eponymous book, is well-acted and directed. As is the case with many adaptations, you will want to read the novel. My review: bit.ly/4ct5E9B Good history lesson for teens of all colors!

NYC Baby Boomers, don't miss Karen Black in newly restored "But Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?" Metrograph Theater. Aging Boomer love story circa 1980s. It's funny, a bit innocent, and the rare film by a male, Henry Jaglom, with a feminist perspective. Black was among the best actors of her generation.

Pam Bondi’s Department of Justice chose not to redact the names of Epstein survivors. Instead, they redacted the names of powerful predators. We demand justice.

She made a good film, too: "Coded Bias" (2020)!

Today's birding--https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Titmouse Downy Woodpecker: www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Downy_...

Continuing my favorite Black films and filmmakers for Black History Month: Writer-director Dee Rees's semi-autobiographical masterpiece, "Pariah" (2011), is about Alike, a young lesbian finding her way. Outstanding script, and a riveting performance by Adepero Oduye. www.imdb.com/video/vi4054...

My favorite Black filmmakers series for Black History Month: Got to interview Liesl Tommy for "Respect" (2021), the biopic of the Queen of Soul! Fabulous performances and that's Jennifer Hudson singing: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1C6...

Hakeem Jeffries' comments on the Trump video is great but now he must lead Democrats to vote yes on another government shutdown. This historic moment demands it. If you don't we will face a Constitutional crisis. No giving in to ANY demands from Republicans on ICE. @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social

My celebration of Black filmmakers includes interviews of Stanley Nelson, Jr. Mr. Nelson is a documentary filmmaker whose meticulously researched films always result in an engrossing story about Black identity. My two part interview here bit.ly/4a5nqyp and here: bit.ly/401k0Xj

It's a great story, and part of a series of films by Stanley Nelson, Jr. Here is a review that may interest you: drive.google.com/file/d/1ekBD...

#Birdoftheday #Birding #Birdphotography Theme for today is #Serenity. #OM1 Snowy egret waiting for the right moment.

Today’s Black History Month focus: Eunice Hunton Carter. Harlem attorney. Relentless investigator. One of the first Black women prosecutors in New York. And she helped take down Lucky Luciano, years before “organized crime” was a TV genre. history.nycourts.gov/about_period...

European Blue Tit. Neat photo taken by Mark O'Hagan in the UK. #blue #tit #bluetit #bird #birds #wildlife #nature #wildlifephotography

#OTD in 2005, British sailor Ellen MacArthur broke the record for the fastest solo non-stop #sailing circumnavigation of the globe. She completed the 27,354 nautical-mile journey in 71 d, 14 h, 18 m, 33 s. Aboard her 75-foot trimaran 𝘉&𝘘/𝘊𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘢, she broke the previous record by ~33 hours.

I have visited 21 countries, several developing countries, and always felt lucky to be an American woman. Even though the war on women never abates, our feminist movement is now embedded in the fabric of our society. Now I would consider illegal status . . . preferably in Venice. bit.ly/3LZQvlE

My Black History Month posts: I found my interview with filmmaker Carl Franklin for "One True Thing," published in the defunct "Film Journal International," where I was a contributing writer. bit.ly/4r0lf51 I am flagging archive.org in the hope that they will preserve it.

I'll be celebrating my favorite Black films & filmmakers all this month. Cheryl Dunye's "Watermelon Woman" (1996) www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtU6... A classic that explores Black, female & lesbian identity through the iconic "Mammy" characters in lit and film. Wry humor and laser sharp analysis.

Celebrating great filmmakers for Black History Month, beginning with Carl Franklin who I had the privilege of interviewing for "One True Thing" (1988) www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ywyz... Actor, writer, brilliant director, then the rare Black filmmaker who struggled against Hollywood's racism.

Common Kestrel [Falco tinnunculus]: This is a small, agile raptor known for its distinctive hovering flight while hunting. The male has striking plumage with a rusty-red back and slate-grey head and tail. Thank you again Katy Smith for sharing your photo taken in the UK. #kestrel #wildlife #nature

#OTD in 2020, engineer and astronaut Christina Koch returned to Earth after 328 days, 13 hours, and 58 minutes in space--the record for longest continuous time in #space by a woman. #WomenInSTEM #AstronautEnvy 🚀

Paleoanthropologist Mary Leakey was born #OTD in 1913. A major figure in the uncovering of E. African prehistory, she is best known for her excavations of some of the earliest members of the human family, their footprints & artifacts. #WomenInSTEM leakeyfoundation.org#OTD#WomenInSTEM#paleoanthropology #fossils

#Ladder-backedWoodpecker #RedrockStatePark, #Sedona, #AZ #birds #photography #birdphotography #BirdWatching #birdsofbluesky #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography

#OTD in 1995, astronaut Eileen Collins became the first female pilot of a NASA space shuttle. She piloted the Space Shuttle Discovery during mission STS-63, a mission that included the first-ever rendezvous between a US space shuttle & the Russian space station Mir. #WomenInSTEM #AstronautEnvy 🚀

DWC members are holding Noem accountable at her front door. ICE and CBP agents are killing Americans, and violently harming women in broad daylight and behind closed doors.  Today now, we’re speaking out. Tune in below ⬇️ www.youtube.com/live/WYrkltX...

My reward for catching up on laundry.

I hate to think that Epstein’s victims are being exploited but it seems that the president is using their plight to distract us from his most dangerous proclamation yet, nationalizing elections. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/u...

Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee was born #OTD in 1972. She led a women's nonviolent peace movement that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. She won the (shared) Nobel #Peace Prize in 2011. nobelwomensinitiative.org/laureate/ley...#OTD#Peace#Liberia #NobelPeacePrize

Ron: I saw and fell in love with what I think is the same bird--yes?--called a "pygmy cormorant" when I birded at Kerkini Lake in Greece. Thanks!

Explorer, cartographer & writer Freya Stark was born #OTD in 1893. A most remarkable traveler of the 20th century, she wrote >24 books detailing her journeys through the Middle East, Turkey & Afghanistan including 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘴 (1934) & 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘯 𝘎𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘈𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘢 (1936). #booksky

White crowned sparrow on Sauvie Island, Oregon #SmallBirdSaturday #Photography #Oregon #Birds 📷

Liam is home now and we are grateful to @joaquincastrotx.bsky.social for traveling to Minneapolis with him and his dad. Welcome home Liam ❤️❤️

ICE is no longer an immigration enforcement agency. It has become Trump’s domestic army. If my “conservative” colleagues truly believe in small government, they should join us in demanding an end to masked federal agents terrorizing communities across this country.

"Frankenstein" is a masterpiece, and an important proto-feminist novel. I taught it in my college lit classes. It's a difficult read for undergrads but one of my sophomores once said: "Professor, I feel like a scholar now!"

Black History Month. Entry about Sister Rosetta Tharpe for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas by the late William McNeil & me. It also appears in the “Encyclopedia of Arkansas Music.” encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/sist...

86 years ago, the U.S. issued the first Social Security check. For millions of women—nearly 60% of those over 65—Social Security is the difference between insecurity and dignity in retirement. We’ll always protect this vital lifeline.

I need to ask my mama about old pictures of my granny because I see this pics..when I visit Detroit I am going to ask my auntie about them.. I love this

This is offensive. I am not defending the movie but very few critics saw it in NYC. Did you? Also, your language is unnecessarily crude and demeans women you don't even know.

#OTD in 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia experienced a catastrophic breakup on re-entry. All 7 crew members perished.🕯️ Two of the mission specialists: Dr. Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space & Dr. Laurel Clark, a USN captain & flight surgeon. #WomenInSTEM

Comic relief for those weary of politics: "The Mouse That Roared" (1959) www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN_b...

Need a break from politics? Watch the Marx Brothers' pre-code "Duck Soup" in which the new president of Freedonia announces his policies . . . Meantime the president of Sylvania is plotting to annex Freedonia! www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSsU...

A Waved Albatross ebird.org/species/wavalb from an island in the Galápagos is vacationing in California: apnews.com/article/alba...

Author, filmmaker, and anthropologist Zora Neale Hurston died #OTD in 1960. She was a central figure of the Harlem Renaissance and author of the masterwork, 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘌𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘞𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘰𝘥 (1937). #literature #litsky #booksky zoranealehurston.com