Now available on the Patreon: a deep dive into the life and legacy of Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly into space. Not yet a member? Check out the link below.

Who else is watching Death by Lightning? I just started last night and am IN LOVE! 😍

Happy Veterans Day from the Civics & Coffee household.

I enjoyed a local production of the play Sally & Tom which explores the relationship between third president Thomas Jefferson & the enslaved Sally Hemings. It was an engrossing and thoughtful play & one I highly recommend watching should it come to your area. What’s your favorite historic play?

Cozied up on the couch to peruse some great public scholarship thanks to @americanstudier.bsky.social ☕️

This week, I reflect on the legacy of Reconstruction — an era that represented America’s second founding and a crossroads for democracy. As the show moves from Reconstruction into the Gilded Age, I look at what was gained, what was lost, and what it all means for the nation’s next chapter.

Here are just a few of the great author interviews featured this year on Civics & Coffee. What were your favorites? And be sure to stay tuned - there are so many more to come!

Making history accessible to the masses is a passion project of mine, but some days are better than others. Today was one of those days - insightful conversations with passionate scholars who are creating important work. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Another episode is in the queue and waiting for you… any ideas what I might be covering?

In this month’s edition of the Substack, I take a look at the Nuremberg trials - and the surprising reaction of one American newspaper. civicsandcoffee.substack.com/p/eighty-yea...

Mount Rushmore is more than a monument — it’s a story about power, memory, and the making of American history. In this episode, author Matthew Davis discusses his new book A Biography of a Mountain and what the history of Mount Rushmore tells us about who we are as a nation.

This is a concerning trend for our diminishing media landscape.

Have you heard the latest episode exploring the Insurrection Act? Tune in today to learn how this law came to be and how it’s been used before.

Happy Native American Heritage Month from Civics & Coffee.

One of my favorite things to do on Sunday? Review wonderful public scholarship. 🥰

The Insurrection Act has been used in moments of turmoil — from early frontier rebellions to civil rights-era unrest. But where did it come from, and how does it still shape presidential power today? Explore the history and civics behind this enduring law.

Be sure to check out this conversation with me and @holleysnaith.bsky.social on her podcast, Say It With History.

Happy Halloween everyone!! May you all have a fantastic day filled with cute costumes, delicious treats, and spooky delights. 👻🎃

Another episode is coming your way (by popular demand)! What do you think I am covering?

This was such a wonderful conversation. Thank you @holleysnaith.bsky.social for having me!

Join me as I sit down with author Eden Collinsworth to discuss her latest book, The Improbable Victoria Woodhull. Learn all about the first woman to run for president and why her life was, in many ways, improbable.

Happy Monday, peeps! I can’t wait to dive into my latest book thanks to the @princetonupress.bsky.social sale! There is still time to take advantage.

Happy Sunday, peeps! We are officially in Halloween week! Want to listen to something spooky to get into the spirit? Take a look at these past episodes.

Another great Sunday for public scholarship. 💗

How did a mosquito-borne virus shut down cities and shake the U.S. into rethinking public health? Explore the forgotten 1878 yellow fever epidemic—the panic, the heroes, and the long-term consequences.

Do you have a history podcast idea? We want to hear it for the #AHA2026 Sinclair Workshop on Historical Podcasting. Submit an application before November 15th!

Another episode is coming your way! What do you think I am covering for this final episode of spooky season?

Today in history, 1962: President Kennedy speaks to the nation about the discovery of Soviet missile bases in Cuba and announces a naval blockade to prevent Soviet ships from delivering anymore material. 1/2

Danvers State Hospital was built in 1874 to serve as a psychiatric hospital. Originally built to house the mentally ill, the hospital expanded its operations and became a training center for nurses in the 1890s. The hospital closed in 1992 due to budget cuts before being demolished in 2006.

Here it is, my 246th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more in comments, share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

Did America’s first serial killer vanish... or evolve into Jack the Ripper? In 1884, the streets of Austin, Texas ran red with blood. Eight victims. One phantom killer. Before H.H. Holmes, before the Ripper, there was the Servant Girl Annihilator—a name as bizarre as the crimes were brutal. 1/2

I participated in a terrific panel in June on the history of US immigration, hosted by the Houston Law Center. It has just been posted online. Great presentations by @kevinkenny.bsky.social, @jackchin.bsky.social, @lawprofmorales.bsky.social, and Dean Leonard Baynes. 🗃️ youtu.be/hTe6MQsHENw?...

I think this is very true for a not insignificant number of us. If just a few more Americans understood just a little bit (more) about Reconstruction, our politics would be very different. I wrote a little blog post about this a while back: www.fractalpast.com/blog/nothing...

OTD 1871: President Grant issues Proclamation 201 suspending the writ of habeas corpus in several counties in South Carolina. Citing the Enforcement Acts, also known as the KKK Acts, Grant explained that “insurgents” (members of the Ku Klux Klan) were in rebellion against the U.S. government… 1/3

Another episode is coming your way! Any guesses on what I am covering?

Check out the latest book review over on the Patreon! Link to join in bio.

What does an oral history project about a small D.C. church reveal about religion, activism, and American life today? I spoke with public historian Shae Corey—creator of the Holy Local podcast—about her work documenting the Church of the Saviour… 1/2

In today’s edition of Haunted America: Eastern State Penitentiary. Opened in 1829, the prison famously once housed Al Capone. Since closing in 1971, the prison has built a reputation as one of the most haunted places in America.

The Winchester House is one of the most interesting (and some say haunted) homes every built. Commissioned by widow Sarah Winchester, construction on the Victorian estate began in 1884. Winchester was known to build and rebuild parts of the home which created a chaotic layout. 1/2

Here it is, my 245th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more in comments below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

A beautiful woman found dead. Her husband nowhere to be found. The beautiful jewels she proudly worn missing. What exactly happened? Join me this week is I explore the murder of Bessie “Diamond” Moore. Prepare for a tale of rumors, drama, and innuendo.

Happy Friday peeps! Here is a sneak peek at just some of the books I’ll be reviewing as I prepare to move into the Gilded Age. What’s your favorite book of the period?

Another episode is headed your way. Any ideas what I might be covering? Find out Saturday!

Now available on the Patreon: the story of Elizabeth Short, also known as The Black Dahlia. Not a member yet? It’s not too late! Link to join in bio.

This week for the first in my Spooky Season Monster Mash series, I watched a movie with the scariest monster I can think of: Disney's The Hunchback of Notre Dame in which the monster wraps himself in unjust laws and bible quotes to commit genocide and assault. blackwhiteandread.com/monster-mash...

Did you ever play the Quija board? Or did you think it was too creepy? Patented in 1891 in Maryland, the Quija board has ties to the Spiritualist movement where people who claimed to be able to commune with the dead used “talking boards” to channel communications. 1/2

It’s officially spooky season here in the podcast. Have you listened to the latest episode? What did you think?

Another great Sunday filled with fantastic public scholarship thanks to @americanstudier.bsky.social

What do a revolutionary uprising and a New Orleans icon have to do with the story of Voodoo in America? This week, I’m tracing the roots of Louisiana Voodoo — from West African spiritual traditions to the Haitian Revolution and the legend of Marie Laveau. 1/2

If you read the latest Substack then you already know: Civics & Coffee is now an affiliate with Bookshop.org! The shop is in its early stages but includes a list highlighting my previous guests and one shining a light on some of my favorite books on women’s history. 1/2