Author: Black & White & Read All Over
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February 14-15, 2026: A Scholar and Scholarly Book I Love
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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February 13, 2026: Scholarly Books I’ve Loved: Colleagues
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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February 12, 2026: Scholarly Books I’ve Loved: Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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February 11, 2026: Scholarly Books I’ve Loved: A Different Mirror
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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February 10, 2026: Scholarly Books I’ve Loved: The Unredeemed Captive
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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February 9, 2026: Scholarly Books I’ve Loved: The Two-Ocean War
[For this year’s Valentine’s series, I wanted to build on the weekend post on my Dad’s book and highlight a handful of other scholarly books that have been especially meaningful…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 262 (2/8/26)
Whether you’re most excited for the Super Bowl, the Puppy Bowl, or the Superb Owl, start tailgating early with my 262nd #ScholarSunday thread of public scholarly writing, podcasts, new &…
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February 7-8, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: Dad’s Book
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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February 6, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: Complementary Nonfiction
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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February 5, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: Homeward Bound & Home as Found
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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February 4, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: The Last of the Mohicans & The Prairie
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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February 3, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: The Pioneers & The Pilot
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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February 2, 2026: Fenimore Cooper Studying: Precaution & The Spy
[200 years ago Wednesday, James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans was published. That’s one of many Cooper novels with a lot to tell us about his and our…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 261 (2/1/26)
As we begin this most fraught & most important Black History Month, & amidst every damn thing else, #ScholarSunday threads carry on—here’s my 261st of great public scholarly writing, podcasts,…
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January 31-February 1, 2026: Crowd-sourced Challenger Studying
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this…
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January 30, 2026: The Challenger Disaster: Cultural Representations
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this week I’ll…
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January 29, 2026: The Challenger Disaster: Aftermaths
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this week I’ll…
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January 28, 2026: The Challenger Disaster: The Explosion
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this week I’ll…
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January 27, 2026: The Challenger Disaster: Christa McAuliffe
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this week I’ll…
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January 26, 2026: The Challenger Disaster: Predecessors
[Forty years ago this week, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart upon takeoff, instantly becoming one of the most visible and tragic American stories of the last half-century. So this week I’ll…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 260 (1/25/26)
Extreme & dangerous ice out there, & a nasty winter storm too, so stay in with all the great public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books (well, those you…
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January 24-25, 2026: Occasional Poems: Mine!
[65 years ago Tuesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week…
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January 23, 2026: Occasional Poems: 21st Century Inaugural Poems
[65 years ago Tuesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy…
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January 22, 2026: Occasional Poems: Angelou and Williams for Clinton
[65 years ago Tuesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy…
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January 21, 2026: Occasional Poems: Frost for Kennedy
[65 years ago Tuesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy…
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January 20, 2026: Occasional Poems: Whitman on Lincoln
[65 years ago Wednesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy…
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January 19, 2026: Occasional Poems: Wheatley to Washington
[65 years ago Wednesday, John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as President. One of the most famous parts of that January 1961 event was Robert Frost’s powerful poem, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 259 (1/18/26)
For your holiday weekend reading & reflection, here’s my 259th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, share…
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January 17-18, 2026: Crowd-sourced 60s & 70s TVStudying
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ve AmericanStudied those shows & three others from…
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Guest Post: Walter Greason & Tim Fielder’s New Comic Dearly Beloved
[Walter Greason, AKA SAGE GRAY, is a longtime friend and collaborator. With artist Tim Fielder he is the author of the acclaimed The Graphic History of Hip Hop. I’m very…
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January 16, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: The Brady Bunch
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ll AmericanStudy those shows & three others from the 60s & 70s, all of which happen…
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January 15, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: Bewitched
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ll AmericanStudy those shows & three others from the 60s & 70s, all of which happen…
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January 14, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: The Bionic Woman
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ll AmericanStudy those shows & three others from the 60s & 70s, all of which happen…
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January 13, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: Bonanza
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ll AmericanStudy those shows & three others from the 60s & 70s, all of which happen…
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January 12, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: Batman
[This week marks the 60th anniversary of the debut of the Batman TV show & the 50th of The Bionic Woman. So I’ll AmericanStudy those shows & three others from the 60s & 70s, all of which happen…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 258 (1/11/26)
I’m not gonna lie, there are times when compiling & sharing threads of public scholarship feels like an entirely inadequate task. & of course it’s far from the only way…
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January 10-11, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: Spring 2026 Plans
[The start of a new year meant my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to this weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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January 9, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: On Screen in 1976
[The start of a new year means my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to a weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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January 8, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: Heard in 1926
[The start of a new year means my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to a weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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January 7, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: Published in 1876
[The start of a new year means my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to a weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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January 6, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: Revolutionary Memory in 1826
[The start of a new year means my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to a weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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January 5, 2026: 2026 Anniversaries: Reframing 1776
[The start of a new year means my annual series on historic anniversaries. Leading up to a weekend post on some of what I’m planning for my Spring semester sabbatical!]…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 257 (1/4/26)
There’s a lot I don’t know about what 2026 (or today) might bring, but I can promise you this: the #ScholarSunday threads will continue! Here’s my 257th of public scholarly…
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Guest Post: Matt Dworkowitz on World War II’s Best Kept Secret: The Discovery of Chemotherapy in New Haven
[Matt Dworkowitz is a third year undergraduate student at Sacred Heart University, who majors in Health Science, and minors in American History and Chemistry. This past semester, Matt worked with…
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January 2, 2026: Year in Review: Dad
[The end of 2025 means another Year in Review blog series, AmericanStudying a handful of the year’s biggest stories. I’d love your 2025 reflections in comments!] Ten months ago today,…
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January 1, 2026: Year in Review: Rejuvenated Blockbusters
[The end of 2025 means another Year in Review blog series, AmericanStudying a handful of the year’s biggest stories. I’d love your 2025 reflections in comments!] On four films that…
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Special Best-of-2025 #ScholarSunday Thread!
As promised, here’s a year-end #ScholarSunday thread featuring some of the best public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new books, & more from throughout 2025. I really appreciate folks…
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December 31, 2025: Year in Review: AI
[The end of 2025 means another Year in Review blog series, AmericanStudying a handful of the year’s biggest stories. I’d love your 2025 reflections in comments!] I wrote about ChatGPT…
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December 30, 2025: Year in Review: Higher Ed
[The end of 2025 means another Year in Review blog series, AmericanStudying a handful of the year’s biggest stories. I’d love your 2025 reflections in comments!] How three university presidents…
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December 29, 2025: Year in Review: Fascism
[The end of 2025 means another Year in Review blog series, AmericanStudying a handful of the year’s biggest stories. I’d love your 2025 reflections in comments!] On overt and insidious…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 256 (12/28/25)
I know I said that last week’s #ScholarSunday thread was the final regular one of the year, but y’all did too much good work this week to ignore—so here’s a…
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December 27-28, 2025: Wishes for my Wife’s Book
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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December 26, 2025: Revisiting My Books: We the People & Of Thee I Sing
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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December 25, 2025: Revisiting My Books: History & Hope in American Literature
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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December 24, 2025: Revisiting My Books: The Chinese Exclusion Act
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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December 23, 2025: Revisiting My Books: Redefining American Identity
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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December 22, 2025: Revisiting My Books: Contesting the Past, Reconstructing the Nation
[Many, many, many times over the last year, I’ve wished that more Americans would have the chance to read my writing and learn even a few of the many lessons…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 255 (12/21/25)
Here it is, the final regular #ScholarSunday thread of 2025, my 255th thread of great public scholarly writing, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more…
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December 20-21, 2025: Refugee Stories in 2025
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ve AmericanStudied the UNHCR and…
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December 19, 2025: Refugee Stories: Refugees in 2020 (and Today)
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ll AmericanStudy the UNHCR and…
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December 18, 2025: Refugee Stories: Tina Powell’s Guest Post
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ll AmericanStudy the UNHCR and…
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December 17, 2025: Refugee Stories: The Marielitos
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ll AmericanStudy the UNHCR and…
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December 16, 2025: Refugee Stories: WWII Refugees
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ll AmericanStudy the UNHCR and…
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December 15, 2025: Refugee Stories: Global Organizations
[On December 14th, 1950, the United Nations adopted its Statute on the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. So for the 75th anniversary of that important moment, this week I’ll AmericanStudy the UNHCR and…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 254 (12/14/25)
We light the first Hanukkah candle this evening, but we could all use some light right now, so here’s my super-sized 254th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing &…
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December 13-14, 2025: Kyle at Michigan!
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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December 12, 2025: Semester Reflections: Our Graduate Programs
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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December 11, 2025: Semester Reflections: American Lit Online
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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December 10, 2025: Semester Reflections: American Lit II
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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December 9, 2025: Semester Reflections: Honors Lit Seminar
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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December 8, 2025: Semester Reflections: First-Year Writing
[This week marks the conclusion of another Fall semester, my 21st at Fitchburg State. Since we’re all going through it at the moment, I thought I’d share one significant challenge I…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 253 (12/7/25)
Like Rudolph or Mariah, the #ScholarSunday powers grow ever stronger as December deepens. See for yourself with my 253rd thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new…
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December 5, 2025: Urban Legends: The Bermuda Triangle
[On December 5th, 1945, five naval planes disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle, helping establish an urban legend that has endured to this day. So this week I’ll AmericanStudy five such urban legends, leading…
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December 4, 2025: Urban Legends: Those Damn Clowns
[On December 5th, 1945, five naval jets disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle, helping establish an urban legend that has endured to this day. So this week I’ll AmericanStudy five such urban legends, leading…
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December 3, 2025: Urban Legends: Sewer Gators
[On December 5th, 1945, five naval jets disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle, helping establish an urban legend that has endured to this day. So this week I’ll AmericanStudy five such urban legends, leading…
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December 2, 2025: Urban Legends: Cryptids in Culture
[On December 5th, 1945, five naval jets disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle, helping establish an urban legend that has endured to this day. So this week I’ll AmericanStudy five such urban legends, leading…
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December 1, 2025: Urban Legends: The Bell Witch
[On December 5th, 1945, five naval jets disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle, helping establish an urban legend that has endured to this day. So this week I’ll AmericanStudy five such urban legends, leading…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 252 (11/30/25)
I’m so thankful for the chance to compile & share #ScholarSunday threads of great public scholarly writing, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. So let’s end…
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Guest Post: Mia Moriarty & Dr. Michael Millner on Jack Kerouac
[Michael Millner is an old friend of mine from the New England ASA, and has been a professor of English and American Studies at UMass Lowell for many years. Mia…
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November 28, 2025: Indigenous Voices: Ned Blackhawk
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, past…
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November 27, 2025: Indigenous Voices: Wamsutta James
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, past…
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November 26, 2025: Indigenous Voices: Sarah Winnemucca
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, past…
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November 25, 2025: Indigenous Voices: William Apess
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, past…
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November 24, 2025: Indigenous Voices: Joseph Lee’s Nothing More of This Land
[Thanksgiving is a hugely fraught holiday for us AmericanStudiers, but I also have a ton I’m thankful for. So this year I wanted to combine those two perspectives by highlighting indigenous voices, past…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 251 (11/23/25)
With the semiquincentennial behind us, launching the next 250 with my 251st #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last…
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November 22-23, 2025: AmericanStudying Closeted Gay Celebrities
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ve AmericanStudied a…
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November 21, 2025: AmericanStudying Rock (Hudson): AIDS
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy a…
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November 20, 2025: AmericanStudying Rock (Hudson): WWII Service
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy a…
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November 19, 2025: AmericanStudying Rock (Hudson): Two TV Roles
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy a…
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November 18, 2025: AmericanStudying Rock (Hudson): The Doris Day Films
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy a…
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November 17, 2025: AmericanStudying Rock (Hudson): Come September
[On November 17th, 1925, Roy Harold Scherer Jr.—better known as Rock Hudson—was born. His iconic career and complex life open up a lot of American histories, so this week I’ll AmericanStudy a…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 250! (11/16/25)
Here it is, a very special–& especially supersized—250th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Please add more…
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November 15-16, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: Three 21C Stories
[For Veterans Day, I’ve AmericanStudied five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to this weekend…
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#ScholarSunday Meta-thread (Ahead of Thread 250)
Tomorrow I drop my 250th #ScholarSunday thread! That’s a whole lot of sharing of public scholarly goodness, so today I wanted to offer just a few reflections & requests when…
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November 14, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: The Best Years of Our Lives and WWII
[For Veterans Day, I’ll be AmericanStudying five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to a…
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November 13, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: “Returning Soldiers” and WWI
[For Veterans Day, I’ll be AmericanStudying five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to a…
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November 12, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: A Fool’s Errand and the Civil War
[For Veterans Day, I’ll be AmericanStudying five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to a…
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November 11, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: William Apess and the War of 1812
[For Veterans Day, I’ll be AmericanStudying five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to a…
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November 10, 2025: Veterans’ Stories: The Shoemaker and the Tea Party
[For Veterans Day, I’ll be AmericanStudying five examples of texts that can help us remember and engage with veterans’ experiences from five of our defining wars. Leading up to a…
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#ScholarSunday Thread 249 (11/9/25)
Here it is, my 249th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below in comments, please…