Brian Kelly

@briankellyrh.bsky.social

150 followers 450 following 43 posts

History, geography, and politics…but trying to create a little more distance from the latter in order to dream it all up again.

Mets, Steelers, Tottenham. Cats, obviously.

Poughkeepsie, New York.

Videos

Brian Kelly is an American historian and a lecturer in US history, teaching at Queen's University Belfast in Northern Ireland. His work is concerned mainly with labor and race in the American South, although much of his most recent scholarship focuses on the formative struggles around slave emancipation during the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era that followed. .. more

Political science 27%

Sociology 23%

Posts Replies Media Videos

Pinned

Brian Kelly @briankellyrh.bsky.social · Nov 30

Profile pic: Ogallala, Nebraska.
Banner: Dolly Sods Wilderness, West Virginia.
Trying to keep us all tied together.

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Kevin M. Levin @civilwarmemory.bsky.social · 13d

Buy University Press Books This Holiday Season #academicpresses cc: @uncpress.bsky.social @utpress.bsky.social @lsupress.bsky.social @fordhampress.bsky.social @univpressofkansas.bsky.social @univnebpress.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/kevinmle...

Buy University Press Books This Holiday Season

Whatever success I can claim as a published author is the result of editors at academic publishers believing in and supporting my projects.

open.substack.com

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Brian Kelly, Alan Richardson

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 16d

BREAKING: Democrats have *flipped* a seat in Georgia's state House tonight.

Democrat Eric Gisler has won the seat, which was previously held by a Republican who resigned this fall.

This is a red territory: Trump won the district by 13% in 2024.

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Brian Kelly, Scott A. Imberman , and 2 more Rosemary A. Joyce, Brian Kelly, Scott A. Imberman, Olúfẹ́mi Táíwò, David Darmofal

Taniel @taniel.bsky.social · 16d

CONFIRMED: Eileen Higgins, a Democrat, will be the new mayor of Miami.

She'll be the city's first Democratic mayor since the 1990s. She flipped the office from Republicans, and does so easily. She leads the DeSantis-endorsed Emilio González 59/41 right now with most ballots counted.

Reposted by Kori Schake, Brian Kelly, Kevin Carey , and 3 more Kori Schake, Brian Kelly, Kevin Carey, Robert C. Richards, Tom Griffin, Paul Goldsmith-Pinkham

jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 16d

i read stuff like this and can genuinely angry at guys like jd vance who insist that this country belongs to some narrow vision of the "native born"

Reposted by Brian Kelly, Luke Rendell, Smith , and 8 more Brian Kelly, Luke Rendell, Smith, Jonathan Hopkin, Michiel van Meeteren, Karen O’Donnell, Nikki Fairchild, Richard M. Carpiano, Peter Gratton, Massimiliano Simons, Aviel Roshwald

Garry @thegmcconnachie.bsky.social · 17d

“I am so bored by AI. One of the things I love about the theatre is AI can’t do it.”

Ethan Hawke is a dude 👌🏻

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 21d

Notable absence of hemming and hawing and “critics say” bullshit here. The NYT is getting closer and closer to calling t murder. Good on ya. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/us/politics/trump-boat-attacks-killings.html

The United States has long handled the problem of maritime drug
smuggling by using the Coast Guard to intercept boats and to
arrest people. That echoes how it works on land: Police officers
who believe people are dealing drugs arrest them, and if they are
convicted, they serve time in prison. They are not executed.
It would be a crime if officers instead simply gunned down
suspected drug dealers in the street. Similarly, a military force is
not allowed to target civilians, and being a suspected criminal does
not make someone lose civilian status. In peacetime, targeting a
civilian is murder. In an armed conflict, targeting a civilian is a war
crime.

Brian Kelly @briankellyrh.bsky.social · 24d

Perfect. And this is a band that opened an album with In Between Days, too!

Brian Kelly @briankellyrh.bsky.social · 24d

…why?

Reposted by Brian Kelly, James Goodwin, Brian Weatherson , and 2 more Brian Kelly, James Goodwin, Brian Weatherson, Sam Kamin, Charles T. Mathewes

Patrick Bromley @patrickbromley.bsky.social · Nov 26

Top 5 Side 1, Track 1s

Reposted by Lesley A. Hall, Brian Kelly, James Goodwin , and 1 more Lesley A. Hall, Brian Kelly, James Goodwin, Jelena Subotić

Joseph Rezek @rezekjoe.bsky.social · Nov 14

This is a real flight school, teaching people to fly planes!!! Like????

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Jonathan V. Last @jvl.bsky.social · Nov 11

If people look at what Tesla Capitalism has wrought and are told that any attempt to reform it would be “socialism,” they will eventually say, “Who are these socialists of who you speak, and what is their phone number?”
www.thebulwark.com/p/welcome-to...

Welcome to Tesla Capitalism

Or: JVL explains why Americans are toying with socialism.

www.thebulwark.com

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Dana Gavin @dg1895.bsky.social · Nov 10

Clio Pecan is as skeptical about generative AI as I am! Finally, though, an actual hardcopy book is in hand. Delightful! Grateful to everyone, especially @briankellyrh.bsky.social and my parents for their love and patience with me.

link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Use code PALAUT for 20% off

A small but fluffy tortoiseshell colored kitten cocks her head as she looks at the cover of a book titled Generative AI and the Future of the Humanities by Dana j. Gavin.

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Journal of Southern History @joursouhist.bsky.social · Nov 9

NEW in NOV: A Journal of Southern History special issue, for those who teach about the South, in the South and beyond #openaccess

muse.jhu.edu/issue/55697

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Uncrewed @uncrewed.bsky.social · Nov 7

In major upset, the New Jersey Democrats have flipped a seat in #LD25, a Trump+1 district in Morris County.

Despite no major help from the state Democrats, Marisa Sweeney will become the first Democrat to represent this district in over 30 years.

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Brian Kelly

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce , and 6 more Joe R. Feagin, Steve Peers, Rosemary A. Joyce, Brian Kelly, W. Andy Knight, Scott A. Imberman, Michael D. McDonald, Sam Kamin, Dan Immergluck

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Nov 5

Mike Johnson: "What happened last night is blue states and blue cities voted blue. We all saw that coming. And no one should read too much into last night's election results."

Reposted by Michael Schmitt, Brian Kelly, Mark Rice , and 2 more Michael Schmitt, Brian Kelly, Mark Rice, Mauro Gatti, Kate Lowe

Phineas @phineas.bsky.social · Nov 3

New awareness campaign

Brian Kelly @briankellyrh.bsky.social · Nov 3

As a past winner, I highly recommend your participation (I can't do gluten anymore so I'm out of the running)!

The Downballot @the-downballot.com · Oct 30

It's the most delicious time of the year: The Downballot's annual election prediction contest—aka the babka contest—is back!

Enter to prove your prognostication prowess *and* for the chance to win amazing prizes from our sponsor, Green's Babka!

Good luck, one and all!

Enter The Downballot's 2025 prediction contest, sponsored by GreensBabka.com!

To the victors go the spoils!

www.the-downballot.com

Reposted by Brian Kelly, Scott A. Imberman

Ana Marie Cox @anamariecox.bsky.social · Nov 3

The only truly devestating interview you could do with Trump is a series of factual questions asked by someone with no affect: “How does a bill become a law?” “Name three countries where American troops are stationed.” “Will you be raising tariffs on Wakanda?”

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Steve Peers, American Library Association , and 2 more Joe R. Feagin, Steve Peers, American Library Association, Brian Kelly, Cathy N. Davidson

New York Attorney General Letitia James @newyorkstateag.bsky.social · Oct 31

In a major victory, a court ruled the Trump administration must use emergency funds to provide food stamps to Americans.

No one should choose between paying bills and buying groceries.

We'll continue our lawsuit to fight for our families and the services they deserve.

Reposted by Brian Kelly, Sebastiaan Faber, Catherine J. Frieman , and 2 more Brian Kelly, Sebastiaan Faber, Catherine J. Frieman, Stephen A. Meserve, Nathan P. Kalmoe

caoimhín mac samhain @kbmcgowan.bsky.social · Oct 31

On further reflection, handing operation of our Universities over to a professional administrative class with no personal investment in the educational mission of the university or the creation and maintenance of knowledge might have been somewhat in error.

Reposted by Brian Kelly

The Downballot @the-downballot.com · Oct 30

Enter The Downballot's 2025 prediction contest, sponsored by GreensBabka.com!

To the victors go the spoils!

www.the-downballot.com

Reposted by Brian Kelly

The Quietus @thequietus.com · Oct 30

'The brilliance of Pulp was always to embrace the darkness of sex, the ooze and the horror, the guilt and the shame, the power and submission...'

Many Happy Returns to #Pulp’s Different Class, which turns 30 today!

buff.ly/w09aeU0

Pulp - Different Class album cover. A shot from a wedding.

Reposted by Brian Kelly

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · Oct 29

When I explain that boycotting an election over an issue has never once forced a politician to embrace that issue, I'm not "scolding people to vote." I'm explaining reality.

Feel free to sit on your ass! Just don't pretend that your lazy apathy is somehow going to advance your agenda.

Reposted by Brian Kelly, Cathy N. Davidson, Michael Jones‐Correa

Jacob Kornbluh @jacobkornbluh.bsky.social · Oct 29

BREAKING: Both Satmar factions decide not to endorse a candidate for mayor and decry the vicious campaign against Mamdani that paints him as hostile to Jews.

In letters to their community members, the Satmar leadership calls the attacks against Mamdani false and dangerous.