Big life news: the McKenzies are headed to North Carolina! I’m thrilled to share that I’m starting as an Assistant Professor of Public History at @uncg.edu in January. While it will be hard to leave the Washington area after 21 years, I’m excited for this next step.

Wide-ranging interview with transnational historian Erika Pani by Ben Vinson III for @historians.org — so many gems, and loving her work on showing just how intertwined 19c US & Mexico really were. https://www.historians.org/perspectives-article/an-exciting-political-laboratory/

I should’ve been more suspicious when @markwarner.bsky.social’s office was taking voicemails today and @kaine.senate.gov’s was not…

Here’s today’s thread once more for the evening crowd. Please share all this great public scholarship widely, thanks! @hcrichardson.bsky.social 🗃️

How does this analysis of journalists’ attitudes toward social media platforms track with those of museum professionals’ and public historians’ attitudes over time? Parallels & comparisons? www.niemanlab.org/2025/11/jour...

Latinx communities across the USA have been targeted by ICE. This summer, four LA historical and cultural institutions spoke out in solidarity, amongst silence in the museum sector. Mary Rizzo on the role of museums in not only historical storytelling, but taking a stand:

Know a young filmmaker 14 to 22? Encourage them to join in Lincoln Presidential Foundation's Latest Generation Film Contest—opportunity to speak their voices & learn about nuanced historical storytelling through film. Two sessions this month! More info: www.lincolnpresidential.org/events/upcom...

Glad for @renatakeller.bsky.social’s new work on Americas in Cuban Missile Crisis. Especially appreciate how she says “in Cuba,” as opposed to the “on Cuba” that others so often use in this context—showing Cuba as a sovereign nation, not a pawn. theconversation.com/the-lost-his...

Watching my Pitt Panthers in their Atlantic Coast Conference game against... Stanford, playing in California... 🤷‍♂️

Excited to be in Cincinnati for #aaslh2025. Enjoyed checking out the fascinating exhibits at National Underground Railroad Freedom Center at the conference event tonight, and getting to catch up with old colleagues/friends and meet new ones. And walk to Kentucky!

In a more serious vein, what do you hope to get out of #aaslh2025? What is the most pressing issue facing museums today? What do you hope to learn? This is our conference, let’s make the most of it. @aaslh.org #museum

Who else is going to the @aaslh.org conference this week? I’ll be there (first time attending since 2021) Wednesday-Friday!

Thread. 🧵

Great piece by Miriam Pensack on the Panama Canal. Some of the special status that Zonians acquired—and, as she discusses, even today try to restore—reminded me of special status some U.S. citizens in Mexico’s interior tried to claim as early as the 1820s.

What are folks' suggestions for a synthesis of U.S.-Mexico diplomatic relations? Looking for overall framework that provides a backdrop for more specific readings in a wide-ranging class. I have Zoraida Vázquez and Meyer's "The United States & Mexico" but that's a few decades old... Something newer?

@elfaroenglish.bsky.social is among best journalistic outlets—essential info on Central America—and has outdone itself with this look at an enemies list of a former Salvadoran dictator. An excellent demonstration of reading outward from a single primary source. beta.elfaro.net/en/the-tertu...

A brief thread on Texas history and Juneteenth. Years ago, I head historian Ed Ayers observe that emancipation was the single most important event in U.S. history, yet one we don't mark with a holiday. /1

At the risk of screaming into the void: if you care about American history, you should care about the 250th. This is a rare chance to reintroduce history to broad swaths of the American public, to redefine public engagement with history for a generation. Don’t cede the whole thing to Trump.

Best way to start @omarvaleriojimenez.bsky.social latest book: curled up on the couch with new-to-us schnauzer with NBA Playoffs on mute in the background.

The MLA, @acls1919.bsky.social, and @historians.org have filed a lawsuit in federal district court today, seeking to reverse the recent actions to devastate the National Endowment for the Humanities. www.mla.org/Resources/Ad...

IMLS! www.ala.org/news/2025/05...

In a few days it’s gonna be May, but right now it’s gonna be my 222nd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ americanstudier.substack.com/p/scholarsun...

One of the better analyses I’ve seen of the intertwined crises of our most recent order leading to our current moment. By @sjshancoxli.liberalcurrents.com, h/t @americanstudier.bsky.social and his always amazing #ScholarSunday www.liberalcurrents.com/the-present-...

On this 160th anniversary of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, I quote from his magisterial Gettysburg Address, 1863: "that this nation . . . shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

At #DCHistCon, learning about images from DC history from Madeliene Ivey, Lauren Rever, Casey Sease, and Anne Dobberteen. Enjoying seeing images of school trips from the Central Photo Company.

Beautiful piece by @monicahesse.bsky.social on the complex stories found in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery: wapo.st/3E5Ljsf

Another fun "grocery" related fact - this one, about an actually old-fashioned use of the term! In the mid-19th century, the term "grocery" was used to refer to a small store that - legally or illegally - sold liquor by the drink. 🗃️

I can't believe I ever mocked the 19th century for having a panic every 20 years.

Just mentioned this on the session on the 250th, sharing more broadly: the Feast of Reason program and resources from Monticello. A framework/toolkit for encouraging civil and civic conversation #ncph2025 www.monticello.org/exhibits-eve...

Some key thoughts: build relationships beyond the grant. Be a good human. Develop reciprocal relationships. Do not let fear lead you, rely upon your training and do the work. Resilence and joy #NCPH2025 keynote: Marco Robinson, Nishani Frazier, Hilary Green, Christy Hyman, Tara Y. White.

#NCPH2025 keynote: This work requires you to be a good human being.

i’ve been excited for this keynote and two minutes in, Dr. Tara White has me tearing up. talking solidarity at #NCPH2025 “until i close my eyes, i’ll be doing history”

Looking forward to next year’s joint @ncph.bsky.social - @aaslh.bsky.social joint meeting next year. Love that two orgs where I feel most at home are meeting together—and love the theme of Revolution. #ncph2025

I love being part of organizations who recognize the amazing contributions of the people who make things work (staff, volunteers, hotel staff and beyond) #ncph2025 Especially when there is a sense of humor 😆

#NCPH2025 attendees: if you are attending tonight's Public Plenary, please be respectful of the speaker's preference to NOT take pictures of the photos or videos shared on screen. Thank you, and enjoy!

🚨 BIG ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨 I started something new: Scholar.DIY — a public benefit company to help scholars turn research into meaningful digital storytelling. 1/6

At #ncph2025 session about the Family Circle at Arlington House—feeling especially poignant today… Included mention of petition to support official renaming to remove memorial designation to Robert E Lee. Thank you to my Congressman @beyer.house.gov for bill. www.change.org/p/redesignat...

Among other things, an attack that clarifies how much public history matters, how much power is linked to the stories we tell about the past #NCPH2025

There's a list in here of the kinds of topics that people might cry "revisionist history!" about and they've nearly all been the subject of an EO at this point. I'm not claiming to be some visionary, just that this was all pretty clearly where these folks wanted to go, even in 2019.

These monuments are at the crux of Trump’s new EO. The very ones he wants restored. Partying like it’s 1899 & the Lost Cause is still winning. uncpress.org/book/9781469...

hey #ncph2025, the cheeto must have heard we were gathering and sent us something for consideration entitled RESTORING TRUTH AND SANITY TO AMERICAN HISTORY: www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

Sitting with GMU history classmate @mebrett.bsky.social as we watch GMU classmate @faisdaudau.bsky.social + Denise Frazier + Hannah Krueger-Benson talk about work on amazing Frenchmen Notes public history project. #ncph2025 frenchmennotes.com

Strong agree—great exhibition in a fascinating museum. Worth checking out for #ncph2025

Great session, and thankful that Larry is live-posting as there’s a lot of good stuff here. Was also glad to see mention of work my former employer Ford’s Theatre is doing! #ncph2025

Attending the "Gen Z explained to old people" conference session. Actually pretty useful. Argues that humanities institutions need to step up digital engagement. #NCPH2025

On my way to Montréal for #NCPH2025, where I’m looking forward to, among other things, sessions on historical consulting. So I suppose this the right time to announce my next career step: I’m setting up my own consultancy!

Our museum is hiring a new Director of Collections if you or someone you know is interested! aam-us-jobs.careerwebsite.com/job/beatrice...

Realized I didn’t yet share on this platform… Feb 28 was my last as Head of Exhibitions at Folger Shakespeare Library. I started in June 2022, as Folger was closed for renovations. During the last 2.5 years, I worked with an incredible team to: [thread]

Mention of museum-style displays at Woodward & Lothrop in this great @streetsofdc.bsky.social piece reminded me how Woodie’s did displays of Civil War vignettes for centennial in 1961—including a scene of the Lincoln assassination down the street from Ford’s Theatre! web.archive.org/web/20150506...