I spent October traveling to schools throughout the South talking to students about American history. What I found were young people who understand we can tell a story that includes both the positive and the negative. As one 8th grader in Memphis said, “Doesn’t seem that hard, just say both things.”

Really amazing that Jalen Ramsey has been playing football long enough to get ejected for fighting AJ Green *and* Ja’Marr Chase.

As a historian of the 18th c and an American, I've always known 2026 would be a critical moment. This doc is worth watching, and thinking through. Begins and ends w Indigenous contexts, conveys the horrors of a civil war wrought w racism + the ideals of liberty and equality we keep reaching for. 1/

Well, this has now been thoroughly answered by the incomparable Jennifer Scheussler. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/15/a...

Damn, PLURIBUS rocks.

Reading your own book with a ruler and red pen (that you hopefully very rarely use) is simultaneously exciting and excruciating. But mostly it’s just slooooooow.

In 1860 Chicagoan abolitionist John Hossack rescued a self-emancipated man from US Marshals, saying he was in the company of "Washington and Franklin," and reminded people that "The great Washington...carried out the spirit of the Constitution" by freeing the people he enslaved in his will.

The 250th is finally getting fully weird: which potato chip flavors best exemplify freedom, liberty, and unity? The BBQ flavors are "LIBERTY," the cheesy flavors are "FREEDOM," and the spicy flavors are "UNITY." What screams FREEDOM more than "cheesy crab dip?" www.phillyvoice.com/herrs-chip-c...

In 1860 Chicagoan abolitionist John Hossack rescued a self-emancipated man from US Marshals, saying he was in the company of "Washington and Franklin," and reminded people that "The great Washington...carried out the spirit of the Constitution" by freeing the people he enslaved in his will.

Don Trump? The former New York hotelier?

Sheesh, left NYC this morning and made my way back to the DC area, did dinner/bedtime with my kids, and turns out a lot of email news can happen in that time.

Many fine people are saying this. uncpress.org/978146969352...

We’ve got page proofs. Time for one final, close read of this thing and then it’s out of my hands forever.

We’ve got page proofs. Time for one final, close read of this thing and then it’s out of my hands forever.

Wow, The American Revolution series is going to be incredible. Really stunning. Can’t wait to watch the whole thing.

Early start to catch a train to the city for another 2-for-1 day for me! First up is day-long working meeting, “Cultural Policy: From Signals to System,” a national convening on evidence-based cultural policy. Will be saying “Yes, but what about small, all-volunteer organizations” a lot.

Back in NJ for the second time in as many weeks. Off to NYC for the first time in ages tomorrow for a big cultural policy forum, followed by a friends and family screening of the new American Revolution Ken Burns film!

Love to sleep in a queen size bed with another adult, a 4 year old, and a dog. At least the dog is only half the size of the child.

When you’re SO tired but have to wait until mommy gets home to go to bed.

Just watched a Maryland player lose his shoe, then try to throw it at the ball to get a steal. College basketball is fucking BACK baby.

Post you from a different era. 20 years ago, when I was playing in a hardcore band.

250 years ago today Virginia governor Lord Dunmore declared martial law and promised freedom to the enslaved who would join his ranks. For enslavers like Mark Bird this was a nightmare. But for Cuff Dix this was an opportunity for freedom. Read Cuff’s story: freedom-seekers.org/story/cuff-d...

Very excited to be the first book listed in the new @uncpress.bsky.social catalog. Spring can't get here soon enough!

Weapons (2025)

The opportunity to work at the JSH was one of the most important developments in my career as a historian. Congratulations to Randal!

Thy Will Be Done by @johngmarks.com George Washington’s legacy as both enslaver and emancipator has haunted Americans for nearly 250 years. Marks shows how every generation has rewritten that story to suit its own vision of the nation. uncpress.org/978146969352...

White Power by @gauthamrao.bsky.social - the inaugural book in our new W. Hodding Carter III trade imprint! A brutal, brilliant history showing how America’s slave-policing system never really ended--just evolved. uncpress.org/978146969484...

Very excited to be the first book listed in the new @uncpress.bsky.social catalog. Spring can't get here soon enough!

Planning on watching the Ken Burns American Revolution documentary premiere on Nov. 16th? Join @lizcovart.bsky.social, @herberthistory.bsky.social, and myself for a live watchalong. www.eventbrite.com/e/ken-burns-...

The Congressional members of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission are asking permission to create special video/light/sound displays, including projecting onto the Washington monument, around New Years Day 2026 to ring in the 250th. legiscan.com/US/text/HJR1...

Every shoe company makes shoes for pre-schoolers with nothing but foam on the bottom, no rubber, and they turn into ice skates when it’s wet out. And they stock next to nothing in stores, so it’s next to impossible to tell until they get here.

My almost-4-year-old is giving me the “6-7” now and this is too much.

This is also probably the most I’ve said about the book anywhere, if you’re interested.

This is also probably the most I’ve said about the book anywhere, if you’re interested.

Washington “was an enslaver right to the very end. And yet, he also regularly spoke about how much he wanted to see an end to the institution of slavery.…This wasn’t a story of Washington gradually coming to see the evil of slavery, either; he held many of these positions at the same time.”

My alma mater published a nice interview with me in their magazine where I talk about my book and experience as an undergrad. magazine.lynchburg.edu/article/hist...

Friends, I could not be more excited to let you know that my book, The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, is out today from Penguin. I’m super proud of it and super grateful to all the scholars whose work informs it. I hope you’ll take a peek and spread the word! amzn.to/4nHkziG

Pub day 👑 Queen Mother: Black Nationalism, Reparations, and the Untold Story of Audley Moore is officially here! @pantheonbooks.bsky.social A decade-long labor of love, of unearthing an archive said to be lost, building relationships with her family, interviewing those who knew her, and

So, usually the National Council on the Humanities meets in November to review application recommendations from staff (who, prior to that, have reviewed recommendations from peer review panels). The NEH still has active grants, but is any of that process happening? Council only has 4 members!

This job is extremely Texas. upmanagement.applytojob.com/apply/kArFfd...

Great reminder that most Americans don’t share this administration’s view of the American story. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/03/o...

Off the top of my head it’s: 1. 2015 playoffs vs Steelers, the Joey Porter/Vontaze Burfict game 2. Brandon Stokely tipped pass walk-off (vs Broncos, 2009?) 3. Today The most crushing “how will they blow this?” games I can remember.

I’ve been a Bengals fan my whole life, full of disappointments, and today was probably a top-3 loss. My 7 year old was crushed, I feel bad for passing this on to a third generation.

Changing the clocks is good because maximizing the amount of daylight available between 7am and 5pm is good. The problem is the lack of total daylight in winter, which cant be somehow gamed with the clock.

The Heritage Foundation recently published a "Guide to Historic Sites" in advance of the 250th. They review sites for "accuracy" and "ideological bias." There's, well, a lot to take in, but here's one thing I noticed about its discussion of slavery and the founders. /1 historicsites.heritage.org

I’m not sure anything makes me as happy as lying in the sun makes my dog.

Aaaaanywho, is there anything else up with the heritage foundation today?

The Heritage Foundation recently published a "Guide to Historic Sites" in advance of the 250th. They review sites for "accuracy" and "ideological bias." There's, well, a lot to take in, but here's one thing I noticed about its discussion of slavery and the founders. /1 historicsites.heritage.org