Ben Railton
@americanstudier.bsky.social
Prof of Amer Lit & Studies. Dad to 2 amazing young men. Married. We the People: http://tinyurl.com/yyhxjktb; Of Thee I Sing: http://tinyurl.com/y6hsozjx. #ScholarSunday guru. https://blackwhiteandread.com he/him
A shout out to @americanstudier.bsky.social’s website that reminded me about the important anniversary date. Check out the newsletter: civicsandcoffee.substack.com/p/ending-wel...
Ending Welfare - Not Poverty
A Look Back At The End of AFDC
civicsandcoffee.substack.com
I'm not giving Mrs. Potts trauma because the Beast is a bad employer and the Enchantress has a fucked up transformation policy.
Dr. Vaughn Joy@gvaughnjoy.bsky.social · 18h agoI did work on my birthday, which means I wrote an absolutely unhinged review of Beauty and the Beast (1991) that actually comes to a solid argument about how widespread the fuckery of toxic masculinity is in society. (Fair warning: the title absolutely does not match the tone of this review.)
Happy Mary Ritter Beard Day & Neil Armstrong Day! Taking America to the moon, & back. memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/august-nom...
August Nominees
August 1: Herman Melville , the iconoclastic genius who was equally adept at domestic comedy , scathing social satire , compelling psycho...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com
Review Roulette on Vaughn's birthday goes to 11. Don't take my word for it. Read this & thank me when you're done laughing, loving, & learning.
Dr. Vaughn Joy@gvaughnjoy.bsky.social · 18h agoI did work on my birthday, which means I wrote an absolutely unhinged review of Beauty and the Beast (1991) that actually comes to a solid argument about how widespread the fuckery of toxic masculinity is in society. (Fair warning: the title absolutely does not match the tone of this review.)
I did work on my birthday, which means I wrote an absolutely unhinged review of Beauty and the Beast (1991) that actually comes to a solid argument about how widespread the fuckery of toxic masculinity is in society. (Fair warning: the title absolutely does not match the tone of this review.)
The Social Costs of Toxic Masculinity – Black and White and Read All Over
A Marxist Approach to Beauty and the Beast (1991)
blackwhiteandread.com
Oh Salem, I have such a complicated relationship with you.
Today is the birthday of my favorite person, @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social! If you didn't get her anything yet, may I suggest subscribing (for free) to one or more of the newsletters on the amazing website she created for us? Thanks, & many happy returns! 🗃️ blackwhiteandread.com/newsletter/
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletters for a weekly round up of the site's new content, Vaughn's Review Roulette, or Ben's #ScholarSunday or daily AmericanStudier blog.
blackwhiteandread.com
Thanks so much for the mention Ben! Matty's Rocket ANIMATED is my Life's Work and i'm so proud to bring it to the world. Season 2 just launched bsky.app/profile/dies...
Dieselfunk@dieselfunk.bsky.social · 3d agoGreetings Dieselfunkateers! MATTY'S BACK! 🚀 Matty's Rocket Season 2 — animated Retro-Afrofuturism from Dieselfunk Studios. Subscribe now at afrofuturism.org
I was today years old when I learned that my first elementary school in Charlottesville was named for a groundbreaking & badass late 19C & early 20C Black educator who was also an unacknowledged descendant of Thomas Jefferson. 🗃️ community.village.virginia.edu/heritage_tra...
Heritage Trail
community.village.virginia.edu
We're up to now in my Summer Am Lit II course, which means students are reading @jocelynjohnson.bsky.social & @daniellevalore.bsky.social, @amandagorman.bsky.social & Jericho Brown, Jhumpa Lahiri & Cristina Henriquez. Nothing more important I get to do than sharing these voices with young people!
Today's #history article pick from Damn History, my free newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to @americanstudier.bsky.social & @satevepost.bsky.social! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/07/cons...
Considering History: Does Remembering Injustice Erase America’s True Story…or Help Us Better Understand It? | The Saturday Evening Post
The Chinese Exclusion Act was the culmination of decades of racist narratives, white supremacist hate, and exclusionary laws. Should we include this narrative when telling the story of America?
saturdayeveningpost.com
In honor of John Scopes Day, I thought I’d re-up this!
Theater Helps Us Remember the Scopes Trial 100 Years Later
'Inherit the Wind' changed how people understand, and remember, the legendary Scopes trial.
time.com
10k followers! I’m honored to be connected to y’all. & one thing I can promise is that more than 15 years of doing the public scholarly thing has helped me figure out communication in these concise social media spaces & conversations. I think the real key to saying what you need to say is to make su
Once more before Sunday ends, here’s today’s 287th thread of great public scholarship from the past week. Please share as widely as you’re able to get all this great work to all the folks, & thanks! 🗃️ @hcrichardson.bsky.social
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
Thank you so much @americanstudier.bsky.social for including the latest Presidencies episode in this week's #ScholarSunday thread! If you're looking for some great scholarship to engage with in the week ahead, look no further than this thread. 📚🎧🎙️
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
I'm working at a Dunkin while Vaughn's in an appointment, & I kinda figured it would be just me at 5:30 on a Sunday. Guess I still have a ways to go before I earn my Masshole Card.
Dunkin' Coffee: Go back to Stahbucks!
Alt: Dunkin' Coffee: Go back to Stahbucks!
static.klipy.com
Finding amazing public scholarship for my threads all week is one of my very favorite things. But equally high on the list is seeing the resulting thread get shared & engaged far & wide, & for that one I need y'all. Please share widely if you see this & are able, & thanks! 🗃️ @kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
August is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 287 (8/2/26) – Black and White and Read All Over
August is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely ...
blackwhiteandread.com
Another wonderful Sunday to enjoy public scholar thanks to @americanstudier.bsky.social 💗☕️
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
What a great way to start August with…thank you @americanstudier.bsky.social
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
For writers everywhere, reading remains our secret superpower. Sharing another compendium of excellent writing from Scholar Sunday by @americanstudier.bsky.social . Please share with a writer you know. #NFL #HOF
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d ago+ @douglasmack.bsky.social @orelb.bsky.social @brightwalldarkroom.com @srtoliver.bsky.social @anisekstrong.bsky.social @goldwagnathan.bsky.social @chanda.blacksky.app @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social & many more! Please share the whole thread widely to get all this great work to all the folks, & enjoy, all!
Always know I’ve had a good week when I make it in here.
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 3d agoAugust is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
I'm so grateful to everyone who supported my subscriber drive! We fell short of my (admittedly pretty ambitious) goal of 40 new annual subscribers. But dozens of free subscribers joined, and 20 new annual subscribers. I'm leaving the half-off discount up through the weekend for the stragglers. 👇
Marianne Dhenin
Journalist, historian, writer.
newsletter.mariannedhenin.com
August is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️ + blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 287 (8/2/26) – Black and White and Read All Over
August is here, & with it my 287th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share as widely ...
blackwhiteandread.com
August's birthday month at AmericanStudier: my sister's on the 2nd; @gvaughnjoy.bsky.social's on the 4th; my late Dad's on the 11th; & your humble AmericanStudier himself on the 15th. Well, maybe not so humble, as every year I dedicate a blog series to sharing favorite posts from each prior year! +
If anyone knows more about the early days of the Coast Guard and the National Weather Service, I can't be the only person who wants to know more!
Ben Railton@americanstudier.bsky.social · 4d agoOne of my favorite things is when a fellow AmericanStudier responds to one of the blog posts (or series) & I can add it into the conversation. @denali.bsky.social did so this week, connecting the Coast Guard's history to that of the National Weather Service, so I had to add it as a weekend post!
Happy Herman Melville Day! A whale of a way to start August right. memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/august-nom...
August Nominees
August 1: Herman Melville , the iconoclastic genius who was equally adept at domestic comedy , scathing social satire , compelling psycho...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com
I'm going to teach this fall 🥹 after 2 years, I finally have a job and get to teach again 🥹 I'll be adjuncting at two schools on two totally different courses, and I cannot wait 😭