Kevin McPartland
@kpmcp.bsky.social
Visiting Prof in Public History at Mizzou. Scholar of the Civil War and American South. PhD at University of Cincinnati '23. Obsessed with all things sports.
I wish the Supreme Court would use AI as much as my students do because at least then their decisions might have a better basis in actual law.
September 9, 2025 at 10:54 AM
I wish the Supreme Court would use AI as much as my students do because at least then their decisions might have a better basis in actual law.
My job may not be standard academia anymore, but I've spent the past week writing a tour for a local Black Jazz site, including some music theory, which is a very cool way to spend some time.
July 17, 2025 at 5:52 PM
My job may not be standard academia anymore, but I've spent the past week writing a tour for a local Black Jazz site, including some music theory, which is a very cool way to spend some time.
Worth saying out loud. For the pilots who fly these flights, for the officers making the "arrests," it's not just following orders. It's a choice. An active decision not just to be complicit, but to participate.
apnews.com/article/supr...
apnews.com/article/supr...
Supreme Court clears way for deportation to South Sudan of several immigrants with no ties there
The Supreme Court is clearing the way for the deportation of several immigrants who were put on a flight in May bound for South Sudan, a war-ravaged country where they have no ties.
apnews.com
July 4, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Worth saying out loud. For the pilots who fly these flights, for the officers making the "arrests," it's not just following orders. It's a choice. An active decision not just to be complicit, but to participate.
apnews.com/article/supr...
apnews.com/article/supr...
For those celebrating Gettysburg these three days, it's important to remember that just because an army fought well doesn't mean it fought for a good cause. Just because men did brave things in combat doesn't mean they were righteous. The South fought for slavery. They kidnapped black people in PA.
July 2, 2025 at 6:12 PM
For those celebrating Gettysburg these three days, it's important to remember that just because an army fought well doesn't mean it fought for a good cause. Just because men did brave things in combat doesn't mean they were righteous. The South fought for slavery. They kidnapped black people in PA.
I want to call my senators, but given my choices are to call from Kansas or Missouri, what am I supposed to say? "Take off your brown shirt for a second and stop being a fascist?"
June 13, 2025 at 2:08 AM
I want to call my senators, but given my choices are to call from Kansas or Missouri, what am I supposed to say? "Take off your brown shirt for a second and stop being a fascist?"
Keith Tkachuk is about to storm the ice and demand they stop the count.
June 13, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Keith Tkachuk is about to storm the ice and demand they stop the count.
One of my students is a Capitals fan. I made sure to wait for the middle of the final to come up and tell him "RIP Caps" to test his mental fortitude.
May 13, 2025 at 2:14 PM
One of my students is a Capitals fan. I made sure to wait for the middle of the final to come up and tell him "RIP Caps" to test his mental fortitude.
He earned his Catholic guilt from the Black Sox scandal
If having a Pope can’t save the White Sox, nothing can.
May 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
He earned his Catholic guilt from the Black Sox scandal
I taught my last US history honors section Civil War infantry tactics in a park on campus today. I don't know how much they'll remember from the whole class, but I bet they'll remember how to refuse a line.
May 2, 2025 at 7:02 PM
I taught my last US history honors section Civil War infantry tactics in a park on campus today. I don't know how much they'll remember from the whole class, but I bet they'll remember how to refuse a line.
"John Wilkes Booth violated a sacred norm, held since Washington's first term, of not assassinating the president. But that says more about middle America than it does about government."
By Maggie Haberman
By Maggie Haberman
I'm begging for journalists to stop saying "violated norms" when they mean "broke the law." Weaponizing the Justice Department isn't "violating norms." It's just breaking the law.
April 30, 2025 at 12:02 PM
"John Wilkes Booth violated a sacred norm, held since Washington's first term, of not assassinating the president. But that says more about middle America than it does about government."
By Maggie Haberman
By Maggie Haberman
I'm begging for journalists to stop saying "violated norms" when they mean "broke the law." Weaponizing the Justice Department isn't "violating norms." It's just breaking the law.
April 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
I'm begging for journalists to stop saying "violated norms" when they mean "broke the law." Weaponizing the Justice Department isn't "violating norms." It's just breaking the law.
This feels a lot like the Embargo Act in 1807. Americans suffered plenty, but Britain went, "Oh, damn. Well, moving on," and kept trading with the bulk of the world. We thought we had a lot more economic power than we did back then too.
Why isn’t China picking up the phone? APOLLO suggests it’s because “the share of Chinese exports going to the US has declined from 20% to 14% since 2017.”
“In other words, more than 80% of exports from China end up in other places than the US.”
“In other words, more than 80% of exports from China end up in other places than the US.”
April 18, 2025 at 11:47 AM
This feels a lot like the Embargo Act in 1807. Americans suffered plenty, but Britain went, "Oh, damn. Well, moving on," and kept trading with the bulk of the world. We thought we had a lot more economic power than we did back then too.
Is it time for some personal liberty laws and Boston Vigilance Committee activities to start up again? We have seen government kidnappings before. What's 1850 is new again.
April 15, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Is it time for some personal liberty laws and Boston Vigilance Committee activities to start up again? We have seen government kidnappings before. What's 1850 is new again.
Beyond the sheer human tragedy of the deportation themselves is the realization that there are plenty of officers who will simply follow orders, whatever they may be.
April 3, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Beyond the sheer human tragedy of the deportation themselves is the realization that there are plenty of officers who will simply follow orders, whatever they may be.
"Lol we are trying to buy a house," sums up my feelings about the epic self-destruction we are being forced to live through.
April 3, 2025 at 12:36 AM
"Lol we are trying to buy a house," sums up my feelings about the epic self-destruction we are being forced to live through.
My phone was dying on my flight so I just played arm chair general for the guy playing his jewel-drop game in the row across from me. Terrible use of power ups the whole time. What a shame.
March 22, 2025 at 2:02 PM
My phone was dying on my flight so I just played arm chair general for the guy playing his jewel-drop game in the row across from me. Terrible use of power ups the whole time. What a shame.
I picked quite the time to read For Whom the Bell Tolls for the first time but a quote hit pretty hard today:
"But are there not many fascists in your country?"
"There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the time comes."
"But are there not many fascists in your country?"
"There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the time comes."
March 22, 2025 at 1:24 AM
I picked quite the time to read For Whom the Bell Tolls for the first time but a quote hit pretty hard today:
"But are there not many fascists in your country?"
"There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the time comes."
"But are there not many fascists in your country?"
"There are many who do not know they are fascists but will find it out when the time comes."
Reposted by Kevin McPartland
A partial list of the current attempted erasure of diverse historical voices and stories from government websites and facilities. Senseless. Indefensible. Maddening.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/whitewashi...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/whitewashi...
Whitewashing American history
The Trump Presidency as a project of erasure
donmoynihan.substack.com
March 19, 2025 at 2:03 PM
A partial list of the current attempted erasure of diverse historical voices and stories from government websites and facilities. Senseless. Indefensible. Maddening.
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/whitewashi...
donmoynihan.substack.com/p/whitewashi...
I know I'm not alone in feeling adrift, looking for some way to resist but coming up empty. Because we are watching Trump dismantle lives, research, and structures within the government, it feels like there is not place for me to step in to hold the line like there was in 2020. 1/
March 6, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I know I'm not alone in feeling adrift, looking for some way to resist but coming up empty. Because we are watching Trump dismantle lives, research, and structures within the government, it feels like there is not place for me to step in to hold the line like there was in 2020. 1/
Tony Romo: oh no, looks like there's a flag at the blue line
February 21, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Tony Romo: oh no, looks like there's a flag at the blue line
Graded and made pain au chocolat today. Thanksgiving break was needed
November 27, 2024 at 3:44 AM
Graded and made pain au chocolat today. Thanksgiving break was needed
The Grammarly ad I get on YouTube starts with a redundant "grammarly is a must have and an essential" and I think that about sums up AI writing.
November 21, 2024 at 4:17 PM
The Grammarly ad I get on YouTube starts with a redundant "grammarly is a must have and an essential" and I think that about sums up AI writing.
I am thrilled for Bluesky to be a new online academic space. But I also desperately need this to be a place for college football content and chaos. Today is a crucial test run.
November 16, 2024 at 3:52 PM
I am thrilled for Bluesky to be a new online academic space. But I also desperately need this to be a place for college football content and chaos. Today is a crucial test run.
1. Have a book under peer review looking at Confederate nationalism through the press, working on a few ideas for project #2.
2. Sabermetrics in baseball and workforce cuts come from the same tech utopianism that ignores reality for the sake of data that developed with the dot com boom
2. Sabermetrics in baseball and workforce cuts come from the same tech utopianism that ignores reality for the sake of data that developed with the dot com boom
Bluesky academics, let's get to know each other! Quote this & tell me: 1) a project you are working on & 2) an odd idea/theory you aren't working on but keep thinking about.
1) finishing a microhistory about a Sunday school teacher's wacky theology
2) Birding is a religion for the "nones" era
1) finishing a microhistory about a Sunday school teacher's wacky theology
2) Birding is a religion for the "nones" era
Bluesky academics, let's get to know each other! Quote this & tell me: 1) a project you are working on & 2) an odd idea/theory you aren't working on but keep thinking about.
Here's mine:
1) a mini-monograph on heresy and magic.
2) the heretical corruption of scripture. (you can see it, right?)
Here's mine:
1) a mini-monograph on heresy and magic.
2) the heretical corruption of scripture. (you can see it, right?)
November 15, 2024 at 2:36 PM
1. Have a book under peer review looking at Confederate nationalism through the press, working on a few ideas for project #2.
2. Sabermetrics in baseball and workforce cuts come from the same tech utopianism that ignores reality for the sake of data that developed with the dot com boom
2. Sabermetrics in baseball and workforce cuts come from the same tech utopianism that ignores reality for the sake of data that developed with the dot com boom
The Onion remains democracy's only true defender
November 14, 2024 at 2:18 PM
The Onion remains democracy's only true defender