Thanks.

Thank you so much Dennis. I am honored to have you as a reader. All my best, DB

David W. Blight
Professor Blight,
I was a student at GMI in Flint from 1971 to 1976.
I'm well over halfway through your biography of Frederick Douglass.
Excellent read.
I'm am reading many books on black history and your book is a solid baseline that connects ante to post bellum.

We all hope everyone who can makes it to Saint Augustine for this important conference on teaching and the right to learn and read at Flagler. GLC is proud to co-sponsor. David Blight

We are absolutely honored to be one of the sponsors for Flagler College The Freedom to Teach conference Sept 28 - Oct 1. We join American Historical Association National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) David W. Blight The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Dr. J. Michael Butler Duke History and many more.

Register: hubs.li/Q01_BSTV0
#teachers

Two of the best people advocating for the good.

Wow. A great review Jim. 'Speculative non-fiction.' Who invented that idea? Thanks for calling out this kind of history. History it is not. Younger colleagues and students need this reminder.

Kudos to Ta-Nehisi and to the courageous teacher.

At the very first paper I ever gave (in Philly) long ago, Richard Blackett came up afterward to say well-done and took me for a drink. He is the best historian ever of Black abolitionism and we have been dear friends for decades. Go to conferences!

The best parts of conferences are spirited debates on plenaries or panels on large questions. I can even remember a few presidential addresses that lasted in my mind. Bill Cronon's on narrative, even if it was too long.

I can still remember right where I was when I saw David Brion Davis and others reflect on their experiences in World War II and then Gerda Lerner challenge from the audience that no woman had been included on the panel. She and her family had escaped the Holocaust.

Some exciting professional news: this fall I'll be joining the faculty at Louisiana State University as the Charles Phelps Manship endowed chair in history. I'm sad to leave friends in Tampa, but very excited about LSU and life in Baton Rouge. Come visit!

Joanne: I'm sorry to hear of Richard's death. You once introduced me to him. Very sorry for your loss of such a friend and comrade. David

Over the past 18 months, the AHA has written to legislators and school boards in 20 states opposing legislation that would restrict history education. Read the letters and stay up to date with our advocacy work: historians.org/news-and-advoc…

Language policing has become a romantic way to help some people think they are changing the world without having to do anything real.

'a population of freed formerly enslaved people'? How about just freed people, or better yet, rewrite the whole sentence: 'The city's freed people welcomed the Union army.'
washingtonpost.com/history/2023/0…

Excellent piece on the need for diversity programs and the 'merchants of resentment' who want to take the country backward. From CEO business leaders.

washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/…

Happy 72nd birthday to my dear friend of 35 years, (still should be a) Sen. Al Franken. Were he still in office, he’d be younging-up the Senate. He was a dogged, brilliant advocate for the people of his native Minnesota and the whole country. He’s good enough…._

Yes, take it directly to the textbook publishers. California, New York and other populous states need to assert themselves rather than allow Texas and Florida to control the nation’s textbooks. Well done Gavin Newsom.

I wrote something.

Americans are feeling empty, sick of simply playing their role as pawns in the market.

They want something more. Deeper meaning. Real connection to others.

We need to have a spiritual conversation with America about how we get there.
thedailybeast.com/the-left-needs…