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
Pinned
The Celestials’ Last Game | Ben Railton
Baseball, Bigotry, and the Battle for America
americanstudier.podbean.com
For new followers, here's my latest project, a podcast on sports histories, exclusion & inclusion, & the worst & best of America--& my single favorite moment from American history.
americanstudier.podbean.com
americanstudier.podbean.com
We just finished our watch (rewatch for me, first for Vaughn) of The Leftovers, & I'm just here to say that shattering, beautiful art remains an unequivocal good in times like these. Especially in times like these. Essentially in times like these.
a man with long hair and a beard is talking to another man in a field .
ALT: a man with long hair and a beard is talking to another man in a field .
media.tenor.com
January 15, 2026 at 10:22 PM
We just finished our watch (rewatch for me, first for Vaughn) of The Leftovers, & I'm just here to say that shattering, beautiful art remains an unequivocal good in times like these. Especially in times like these. Essentially in times like these.
Reposted by Ben Railton
Media literacy is a survival skill.
Please practice media literacy with your loved ones, especially the young people in your life.
Please practice media literacy with your loved ones, especially the young people in your life.
relevant to the debate over whether we should keep funding DHS without reforms and accountability for how out of control their spending is
January 15, 2026 at 4:44 PM
Media literacy is a survival skill.
Please practice media literacy with your loved ones, especially the young people in your life.
Please practice media literacy with your loved ones, especially the young people in your life.
Reposted by Ben Railton
Digital platform and federal agencies are coordinating to suppress content related to paramilitary action in Minnesota.
Reach out through my website (www. walterdgreason .com) to stay in touch.
Reach out through my website (www. walterdgreason .com) to stay in touch.
January 15, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Digital platform and federal agencies are coordinating to suppress content related to paramilitary action in Minnesota.
Reach out through my website (www. walterdgreason .com) to stay in touch.
Reach out through my website (www. walterdgreason .com) to stay in touch.
Reposted by Ben Railton
The crisis is real, and this is part of our effort at new approaches to supporting scholars and advancing scholarship in the (vast!) early Americas.
Sharing again and would appreciate your sharing, too. More info in the thread. 🧵⬇️
Sharing again and would appreciate your sharing, too. More info in the thread. 🧵⬇️
Friends, I hope you’ll share this widely. The @jcblibrary.bsky.social is hiring 2 3-yr research associates for collaborative work on religions and freedoms in the early Americas. Info is here and I’m happy to take questions offline: brown.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/staff-...
January 15, 2026 at 12:08 PM
The crisis is real, and this is part of our effort at new approaches to supporting scholars and advancing scholarship in the (vast!) early Americas.
Sharing again and would appreciate your sharing, too. More info in the thread. 🧵⬇️
Sharing again and would appreciate your sharing, too. More info in the thread. 🧵⬇️
Reposted by Ben Railton
Happy Julius Wolozin day! Born in Poltava Ukraine in 1898. Emigrated to United States as a child. Designed the steel structure for the Hatch Memorial Shell when all other iron works said it wasn’t possible. Worked side by side with Arthur Fiedler to accomplish this.
January 15, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Happy Julius Wolozin day! Born in Poltava Ukraine in 1898. Emigrated to United States as a child. Designed the steel structure for the Hatch Memorial Shell when all other iron works said it wasn’t possible. Worked side by side with Arthur Fiedler to accomplish this.
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day (his actual bday) & Ernest Gaines Day!
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
January Nominees
January 1: Alfred Stieglitz , one of America’s most innovative and significant photographer s and a deeply humanistic and powerful chronicle...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day (his actual bday) & Ernest Gaines Day!
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
Happy Tillie Olsen Day & Julian Bond Day! Ain’t that America?
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
January Nominees
January 1: Alfred Stieglitz , one of America’s most innovative and significant photographer s and a deeply humanistic and powerful chronicle...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:27 PM
Happy Tillie Olsen Day & Julian Bond Day! Ain’t that America?
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
memorydaycalendar.blogspot.com/p/january-no...
Did you know that Ricardo Montalban played a Bannock Native American man in the complex, fascinating season 2 Bonanza episode "Day of Reckoning"? Not ideal representation, but striking for 1960 TV nonetheless, & one of many interesting details in today's post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series! 🗃️
So for the next post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series, on three characters & stories that helped diversify Bonanza's West, featuring Ossie Davis, Victor Sen Yung’s family cook & housekeeper Hop Sing, & more!
blackwhiteandread.com/january-13-2...
blackwhiteandread.com/january-13-2...
January 13, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: Bonanza – Black and White and Read All Over
[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 to sta...
blackwhiteandread.com
January 13, 2026 at 10:59 PM
Did you know that Ricardo Montalban played a Bannock Native American man in the complex, fascinating season 2 Bonanza episode "Day of Reckoning"? Not ideal representation, but striking for 1960 TV nonetheless, & one of many interesting details in today's post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series! 🗃️
Reposted by Ben Railton
Had a great time recording with @americanstudier.bsky.social today talking about a very historical episode of the X-Files today! You'll hear that one in a couple of weeks. What happens when Mulder and Scully go up against famous crank Ross Perot? You'll have to tune in to find out!
January 13, 2026 at 6:23 PM
Had a great time recording with @americanstudier.bsky.social today talking about a very historical episode of the X-Files today! You'll hear that one in a couple of weeks. What happens when Mulder and Scully go up against famous crank Ross Perot? You'll have to tune in to find out!
Did you know that a 1943 serial film led directly to the 1966 premiere of Adam West's Batman?
Or that The Temptations performed live with West & other cast members at Shea Stadium?
Check out the first post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series for more! @outlawvern.bsky.social
Or that The Temptations performed live with West & other cast members at Shea Stadium?
Check out the first post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series for more! @outlawvern.bsky.social
Starting with today's post, on how we can tell the story of the serial-influenced creation, viral marketing, & lasting legacy of the 60s Batman TV show through Hugh Hefner, The Temptations, & Conan O'Brien!
blackwhiteandread.com/january-12-2...
blackwhiteandread.com/january-12-2...
January 12, 2026: The Boob Tube in the 60s & 70s: Batman – Black and White and Read All Over
[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 to sta...
blackwhiteandread.com
January 12, 2026 at 11:56 PM
Did you know that a 1943 serial film led directly to the 1966 premiere of Adam West's Batman?
Or that The Temptations performed live with West & other cast members at Shea Stadium?
Check out the first post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series for more! @outlawvern.bsky.social
Or that The Temptations performed live with West & other cast members at Shea Stadium?
Check out the first post in my 60s & 70s TV blog series for more! @outlawvern.bsky.social
Bam! 60 years ago this week Adam West's Batman premiered on ABC.
Bionic! 50 years ago this week, Lindsay Wagner's The Bionic Woman premiered on the same network.
Sometimes my blog series explore very serious subjects. & sometimes I dedicate a series to 60s & 70s TV shows that all start with "B."+
Bionic! 50 years ago this week, Lindsay Wagner's The Bionic Woman premiered on the same network.
Sometimes my blog series explore very serious subjects. & sometimes I dedicate a series to 60s & 70s TV shows that all start with "B."+
January 12, 2026 at 4:38 PM
Bam! 60 years ago this week Adam West's Batman premiered on ABC.
Bionic! 50 years ago this week, Lindsay Wagner's The Bionic Woman premiered on the same network.
Sometimes my blog series explore very serious subjects. & sometimes I dedicate a series to 60s & 70s TV shows that all start with "B."+
Bionic! 50 years ago this week, Lindsay Wagner's The Bionic Woman premiered on the same network.
Sometimes my blog series explore very serious subjects. & sometimes I dedicate a series to 60s & 70s TV shows that all start with "B."+
Here's today's #ScholarSunday thread for the evening crowd. I really appreciate all the support & solidarity, & hope folks can continue to share it to get all this great work out there, thanks! @hcrichardson.bsky.social 🗃️
So amidst every damn thing, here, still & proudly, is my 258th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books from last week. Add more below, please share widely, & solidarity as la lucha continua, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 258 (1/11/26) – Black and White and Read All Over
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 to resist & fight right now (or...
blackwhiteandread.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:16 PM
Here's today's #ScholarSunday thread for the evening crowd. I really appreciate all the support & solidarity, & hope folks can continue to share it to get all this great work out there, thanks! @hcrichardson.bsky.social 🗃️
Reposted by Ben Railton
So amidst every damn thing, here, still & proudly, is my 258th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books from last week. Add more below, please share widely, & solidarity as la lucha continua, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 258 (1/11/26) – Black and White and Read All Over
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 to resist & fight right now (or...
blackwhiteandread.com
January 11, 2026 at 12:53 PM
So amidst every damn thing, here, still & proudly, is my 258th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing, podcasts, new & forthcoming books from last week. Add more below, please share widely, & solidarity as la lucha continua, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
Not gonna lie, there are times when compiling & sharing threads of public scholarship seems an entirely inadequate task. & it’s far from the only way to resist & fight right now. But it’s interconnected with the others, & it helps us understand why we’re here, what we’re fighting, & how we resist. +
January 11, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Not gonna lie, there are times when compiling & sharing threads of public scholarship seems an entirely inadequate task. & it’s far from the only way to resist & fight right now. But it’s interconnected with the others, & it helps us understand why we’re here, what we’re fighting, & how we resist. +
Reposted by Ben Railton
“There are injuries which nature cannot forgive.”
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
This one is ringing in my ears today
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
This one is ringing in my ears today
When Paine wrote COMMON SENSE, Boston was occupied by redcoats.
“Let our imaginations transport us to Boston, that seat of wretchedness will teach us wisdom, and instruct us for ever to renounce a power in whom we can have no trust"
“There are injuries which nature cannot forgive”
“Let our imaginations transport us to Boston, that seat of wretchedness will teach us wisdom, and instruct us for ever to renounce a power in whom we can have no trust"
“There are injuries which nature cannot forgive”
January 9, 2026 at 8:20 PM
“There are injuries which nature cannot forgive.”
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
This one is ringing in my ears today
-Thomas Paine, COMMON SENSE
This one is ringing in my ears today
These are also times that try men’s souls. Which means it’s a damn good time to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, with the help of my new @satevepost.bsky.social Considering History column. 🗃️
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
Considering History: Common Sense, Loyalists, and the Fight for American Ideals | The Saturday Evening Post
Thomas Paine’s pamphlet can offer a perspective on the overlooked Revolutionary community known as the Loyalists, who demonstrated that the Revolution was fought not by or for a particular culture or ...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com
January 9, 2026 at 9:29 PM
These are also times that try men’s souls. Which means it’s a damn good time to commemorate the 250th anniversary of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, with the help of my new @satevepost.bsky.social Considering History column. 🗃️
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
Nothing but straight facts from the Onion today.
blackwhiteandread.com/biscuits/
blackwhiteandread.com/biscuits/
January 9, 2026 at 7:56 PM
Nothing but straight facts from the Onion today.
blackwhiteandread.com/biscuits/
blackwhiteandread.com/biscuits/
Expected my new column to drop next week, but it's here today to add another layer to this thread!
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
January 9, 2026 at 7:42 PM
Expected my new column to drop next week, but it's here today to add another layer to this thread!
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
Thread! & check out my new column for some Commonsensical contexts:
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
January 9, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Thread! & check out my new column for some Commonsensical contexts:
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2026/01/cons...
Reposted by Ben Railton
Set your agenda for action : this weekend, this month, by June, by November.
Refuse to stand on the sidelines.
Refuse to stand on the sidelines.
Folks:
A link to this morning's "History Matters" convo about the murder of Renee Nicole Good; the regime's attempt to spin the truth; & our need to seize--& tell--the ACTUAL truth.
This could be a turning point moment.
I explain why, & what we should do about it.
www.youtube.com/live/jl6mYhu...
A link to this morning's "History Matters" convo about the murder of Renee Nicole Good; the regime's attempt to spin the truth; & our need to seize--& tell--the ACTUAL truth.
This could be a turning point moment.
I explain why, & what we should do about it.
www.youtube.com/live/jl6mYhu...
The Power of Turning Points: January 3, 6, 7...and More
YouTube video by Dr. Joanne Freeman
www.youtube.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Set your agenda for action : this weekend, this month, by June, by November.
Refuse to stand on the sidelines.
Refuse to stand on the sidelines.
Eight years ago, my first Considering History column for the @satevepost.bsky.social dropped. I still can't quite believe I get to share my AmericanStudying every couple weeks in Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post, & it's been & remains a tremendous honor & a career highlight. A few thoughts+ 🗃️
January 9, 2026 at 2:06 PM
Eight years ago, my first Considering History column for the @satevepost.bsky.social dropped. I still can't quite believe I get to share my AmericanStudying every couple weeks in Norman Rockwell's Saturday Evening Post, & it's been & remains a tremendous honor & a career highlight. A few thoughts+ 🗃️