Hello. Jim Grossman and I just published this essay today in the New Republic on the one year anniversary of Trump's infamous executive order, "Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History." Still insane after all these years. newrepublic.com/article/2082...

Unhappy Anniversary: One Year Since Trump’s Brutish Assault on History

It’s a year to the day since Trump’s executive order on American history. It’s just as idiotic and offensive now as it was then.

newrepublic.com

When barbarians enter your land and territory, do not plan to negotiate. Build your defenses and get ready to drive them out. At universities and all over American education we need to prepare, as William James said, for "the moral equivalent of War."

As I have said, I do not intend any reconciliation with Roberts and Heritage. Not possible. But to communicate why many of us believe they are wrong to their faces. Otherwise we just talk with each other as we are doing here.

Simon@thedenature.bsky.social · 5mo ago

I read and enjoyed "Race and Reunion" in grad school-- a tragic and infuriating story of white Civil War veterans who chose civil reconciliation with the white south over justice for Black Americans. Perhaps there's a lesson in there about the price of civility and who pays it.

The goal with the podcast was exactly the opposite. I think it shows that. Please listen to it.

Around the outside@around-the-outside.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Professor of History shows his determination not to learn anything from history.

For those who hate that I did an interview with Kevin Roberts, I hope you listen to it. Frankly, he hung himself on his own petard. Most of his answers were vacuous or worse. Why not expose this rather than merely hate it. I agree about Roberts's views. Tried to reveal them. I think we did.

Matt Gabriele@profgabriele.com · 5mo ago

he's the architect of policies that have killed thousands and who believes many of our fellow citizens aren't fully human, David

Trump and his enablers are calling the Iran war an "excursion." From what to what? In much of our past most American wars were not fully preemptive on the part of US as this one is. The Mexican War in 1846 yes. Vietnam certainly to an extent. Trump is a war president of, by and for ignorance.

I will soon be writing about this podcast and its highlights for the New Republic. DB

David Blight@dblight.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Here is a proper link to my interview with Kevin Roberts of Heritage Foundation about American history. We had it out with civility and great disagreement. DB www.davidwblight.com/public-histo...

Here is a proper link to my interview with Kevin Roberts of Heritage Foundation about American history. We had it out with civility and great disagreement. DB www.davidwblight.com/public-histo...

David Blight and Kevin Roberts of Heritage Foundation Discuss the Practice and Politics of History | Podcast — David W. Blight

David Blight in conversation with Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation. As president of the Organization of American Historians last year, I promised I would reach out to the Heritage...

davidwblight.com

Please listen to this podcast I did with Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation. We debate history in America. We agreed do be civil even as we knew we would disagree on almost everything. Both happened. Roberts revealed himself and the perils of Trumpism. DB Blight Roberts

Hello everyone. Please see and attend the next "Trump vs. History" webinar, sponsored by the New Republic. Monday, 4 pm eastern, free on zoom. I will moderate a discussion with the three great historians, Ed Ayers, Molly Worthen, Geraldo Cadava. We fight back! www.eventbrite.com/e/trump-vers...

The emperor has no clothes and he is spreading hatred, ignorance, and corruption all around. We have to convert despair into a fighting spirit! Save the American republic!

Federal troops to Portland? Portlanders: don't take the bait. He wants a violent confrontation in order to use those troops. For now hold silent marches with muffled drums, bring flowers, sing songs of freedom, keep it all peaceful and non-violent. Confrontation will come in time.

Honor US soldiers at Wounded Knee? Take down 30 images about slavery at Harpers Ferry? Indict your political enemies in worse abuses of law and Constitutional norms than Watergate? Historians and everyone who cares - fight back! We are beyond simply saving democracy; we have to stop a TYRANT!

New op ed in this morning's New Republic about the rhetoric of "civil war" on this anniversary of battle of Antietam, single bloodiest day in American history. David Blight newrepublic.com/article/2005...

So You Want a Civil War? Let’s Pause to Remember What One Looks Like.

Today marks the 163rd anniversary of Antietam. Those who say they’re ready for civil war should stop and think about what happened there.

newrepublic.com

This piece in Forbes today by Mary Beth Gasman minces no words in calling out the Trump regime and what it is trying to do to American history. Very effective essay. www.forbes.com/sites/marybe...

Scholars Defend The Full Story Of U.S. History As Trump Targets Museums

President Trump recently called U.S. museums “the last remaining segment of ”WOKE," singling out the Smithsonian. Historians throughout the U.S. respond.

forbes.com

Good news. Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, has graciously accepted my invitation to two debates with his fellow historians about American history on the eve of the US 250th. Details of time and sites are being worked out. One likely in a red state, and one is a blue state.

Wrong link in previous post. Here is correct CNN video. David Blight video.snapstream.net/Play/8mJmNdV...

Connect the World - Wednesday, August 20, 2025 10am ET - Professor David Blight

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video.snapstream.net

President Trump: Meet Frederick Douglass and his Narrative. Read!!! And do not say another public word about slavery until you get educated. Please stop insulting Americans with your unbounded ignorance.

Kevin Roberts at Heritage Foundation has not yet accepted my invitation to debate historians. If anyone has direct access at Heritage, please encourage him. The Trump History department should cite their sources and defend their arguments in public.

Trump's rant about museums: accuses "woke" curators of portraying "how bad slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been..." The first claim is obscene, the second is simply stupid. Ignorance in the mind of a tyrant is a very dangerous thing. Historians - awake!!

Good morning. Here is the cover and all 11 essays of new special issue of the TNR by historians ighting back against Trump administration's assaults on history, museums, archives, libraries. No surrender among historians. newrepublic.com/magazine?utm...

newrepublic.com

Kevin Roberts and the Heritage Foundation: Come out and debate historians about the current and future practice of American history. See the current New Republic. We respectfully invite you to an open, civil debate. -David Blight, for American historians and teachers eager to fight back.

Good morning. Here is the cover and all 11 essays of new special issue of the TNR by historians ighting back against Trump administration's assaults on history, museums, archives, libraries. No surrender among historians. newrepublic.com/magazine?utm...

newrepublic.com

See new essays in New Republic. I have gathered and edited eleven essays by historians on teaching and writing history in the time of Trump. We are fighting back! I'll be on MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell tonight at 10 to talk about the special issue of TNR. newrepublic.com/series/67/tr...

Trump Against History

How is Trump changing our sense of who we are? We asked eminent Yale historian David W. Blight to round up some colleagues to consider the question. Here’s what they had to say.

newrepublic.com

With Akhil Amar, I just helped direct this extraordinary teacher seminar on the history of the Constitution in Philly at National Constitution Center, generously sponsored by the Sandra Day O'Connor Institute and OAH. Our comrades, the teachers, were magnificent in knowledge and dedication! Bravo!

The Organization of American Historians@oah.org · last yr.

☀️ Day 2 of the week-long summer intensive for social studies teachers is in full swing! Incredible conversations—including a lecture by former OAH pres David Blight—& deep dives into history are happening right where it all began. Check out the panel from day 1 here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLVh...

Trump's lawyers, bound by vows of loyalty to their profoundly ignorant leader, are constitutionally cherry-picking their way to autocracy. They are patient; we citizens should not be!

Birthright citizenship: as old in England as Sir Edward Coke's 1608 opinion in "Calvin's Case," and at least as early as the Prudence Crandall case before Connecticut Supreme Court in 1834. The principle: when a government expects "obedience" it must provide "protection."

Trump's sense of triumph yesterday over SCOTUS decision on nation-wide injunctions derives from steady impulse against birthright citizenship. NO Mr. Trump, the Civil War did not end in 1969 and section 1 of the 14th is not intended only for children of slaves. We cannot allow ignorance to win!!!

An 800% increase in the ICE finding in the new budget bill out of House and now before the Senate? God help us. Trump wants confrontation; peacefully, without burning cars, people should give it to him.

When barbarians enter your land and territory, do not plan to negotiate. Build your defenses and get ready to drive them out. At universities and all over American education we need to prepare, as William James said, for "the moral equivalent of War."