Matt Averett
@matthewaverett.bsky.social
Architectural historian at Creighton University.
St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Author, Canfield Drive https://upress.missouri.edu/9780826223395/canfield-drive/
Aura farmer.
St. Louis Cardinals fan.
Author, Canfield Drive https://upress.missouri.edu/9780826223395/canfield-drive/
Aura farmer.
Pinned
My new book, Canfield Drive, is available now. The book is the first comprehensive history of Black spaces in St. Louis and it reconstructs the urban context of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown and the #Ferguson Uprising. #STL
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
The Missouri billionaire is expected to soon become chairman of the board of Lee Enterprises.
Hoffmann’s takeover of Post-Dispatch parent co. means change—but how much?
David Hoffmann got what he wanted. The Missouri-born billionaire spent the better part of 2025 pursuing the newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises, and on December 30, he closed the deal. The company’s I...
www.stlmag.com
January 6, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Matt Averett
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said this about CANFIELD DRIVE by Matthew Knox Averett:
“Combining a narrative of racialized housing policies with deep, statistical dives into local history, including an illuminating series of maps, CANFIELD DRIVE provides a convincing systematic analysis.”
“Combining a narrative of racialized housing policies with deep, statistical dives into local history, including an illuminating series of maps, CANFIELD DRIVE provides a convincing systematic analysis.”
January 5, 2026 at 9:18 PM
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch said this about CANFIELD DRIVE by Matthew Knox Averett:
“Combining a narrative of racialized housing policies with deep, statistical dives into local history, including an illuminating series of maps, CANFIELD DRIVE provides a convincing systematic analysis.”
“Combining a narrative of racialized housing policies with deep, statistical dives into local history, including an illuminating series of maps, CANFIELD DRIVE provides a convincing systematic analysis.”
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a short review of my book on the urban history of Black spaces in St. Louis.
#STL @stltoday.com @umissouripress.bsky.social
#STL @stltoday.com @umissouripress.bsky.social
'Canfield Drive' traces the history of race relations in St. Louis and beyond
Anyone who wants to trace the history of race relations in St. Louis, and its effect on housing, could start by listing the chapter headings in this comprehensive, exhaustively researched
www.stltoday.com
January 5, 2026 at 3:00 PM
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch has a short review of my book on the urban history of Black spaces in St. Louis.
#STL @stltoday.com @umissouripress.bsky.social
#STL @stltoday.com @umissouripress.bsky.social
"Primed for tragedy long before."
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
December 31, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Matt Averett
"Primed for tragedy long before."
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
December 31, 2025 at 3:36 PM
"Primed for tragedy long before."
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Today's book pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to author @matthewaverett.bsky.social & @umissouripress.bsky.social!
Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Suburban Omaha strip mall: Starbucks, vape shop, bar, and shoe store.
December 20, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Suburban Omaha strip mall: Starbucks, vape shop, bar, and shoe store.
I wrote about the Bernard Lynch “slave pen” in my book about #STL, Canfield Drive:
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
New plaque will mark notorious St. Louis slave prison site near Busch Stadium
The bronze historical plaque will be installed at the site of a slave prison once owned by Bernard M. Lynch, a nationally known trader of enslaved men, women and children.
www.stlpr.org
December 20, 2025 at 1:01 AM
I wrote about the Bernard Lynch “slave pen” in my book about #STL, Canfield Drive:
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
My new book, Canfield Drive, is available now. The book is the first comprehensive history of Black spaces in St. Louis and it reconstructs the urban context of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown and the #Ferguson Uprising. #STL
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
December 19, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My new book, Canfield Drive, is available now. The book is the first comprehensive history of Black spaces in St. Louis and it reconstructs the urban context of the 2014 killing of Michael Brown and the #Ferguson Uprising. #STL
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
upress.missouri.edu/978082622339...
@umissouripress.bsky.social
Reposted by Matt Averett
CANFIELD DRIVE: A History of Race and the American City on a Street in St. Louis by @matthewaverett.bsky.social is now available! Find the book here: upress.missouri.edu/978082622339... #StLouis #STL #BlackHistory #HistoryMatters
December 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
CANFIELD DRIVE: A History of Race and the American City on a Street in St. Louis by @matthewaverett.bsky.social is now available! Find the book here: upress.missouri.edu/978082622339... #StLouis #STL #BlackHistory #HistoryMatters
New projects in downtown #STL.
Momentum builds for alternative highway plan in downtown St. Louis
Big changes are now underway in downtown St. Louis—with the groundwork being laid for even bigger ones in the decades to come. In 2026, the Gateway Arch Park Foundation and the National Park Service t...
www.stlmag.com
December 16, 2025 at 2:50 PM
New projects in downtown #STL.
I have a chapter on #Petrarch and #Rome in this great new volume on "overwriting" the #MiddleAges.
"'Per menia fracte urbis:' Overwriting and Building-Over Medieval Rome"
"'Per menia fracte urbis:' Overwriting and Building-Over Medieval Rome"
Sovrascrivere e riscrivere il Medioevo
Sovrascrivere e riscrivere il Medioevo scritto da Simona Moretti è stato pubblicato a novembre 2025 e appartiene alla categoria architettura e design, arte, storia,
www.tabedizioni.it
December 15, 2025 at 12:45 AM
I have a chapter on #Petrarch and #Rome in this great new volume on "overwriting" the #MiddleAges.
"'Per menia fracte urbis:' Overwriting and Building-Over Medieval Rome"
"'Per menia fracte urbis:' Overwriting and Building-Over Medieval Rome"
“The fire reflects a growing regional homeless population that has also prompted fires in St. Louis County, Lincoln County and East St. Louis, Ill. in the past few days.” #STL
Series of fires around STL region point to broader issues with housing and shelter
Series of fires around St. Louis region point to broader issues with housing and shelter
www.firstalert4.com
December 14, 2025 at 6:04 PM
“The fire reflects a growing regional homeless population that has also prompted fires in St. Louis County, Lincoln County and East St. Louis, Ill. in the past few days.” #STL
'St. Louis tornado survivors call for FEMA reform'
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
St. Louis tornado survivors call for FEMA reform
Melanie Randels has often stood in the remains of North St. Louis homes blasted by the May 16 tornado. Nearly seven months has passed since the historic storm and Randels, an organizer with The People’s Response at Action St. Louis, says FEMA and city officials have not fulfilled promises. “The storm lasted minutes, the recovery […]
www.stlamerican.com
December 14, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Reposted by Matt Averett
'St. Louis tornado survivors call for FEMA reform'
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
St. Louis tornado survivors call for FEMA reform
Melanie Randels has often stood in the remains of North St. Louis homes blasted by the May 16 tornado. Nearly seven months has passed since the historic storm and Randels, an organizer with The People’s Response at Action St. Louis, says FEMA and city officials have not fulfilled promises. “The storm lasted minutes, the recovery […]
www.stlamerican.com
December 13, 2025 at 8:00 PM
'St. Louis tornado survivors call for FEMA reform'
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
🖋 Ashley Winters | The St. Louis American
📸 Photo by Lawrence Bryant
#stlamerican #stlnews #stlouis #DisasterRecovery #FEMAReform #CommunityAdvocacy #NorthSTL
"Markers promote values in the present and future. They convey respect for group experiences and the stories that deserve to be told, and in that sense they elevate certain values in the public sphere.”
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
www.stltoday.com/news/local/m...
New plaque will mark notorious St. Louis slave prison site near Busch Stadium
A five-year effort to mark Missouri’s most notorious slave prison will come to fruition next month.
www.stltoday.com
December 12, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Reposted by Matt Averett
Jonathan Daniel, author of SUDS SERIES: Baseball, Beer Wars, and the Summer of '82, recently appeared on the A Lott on Sports podcast to discuss his book. Listen to the interview here:
www.youtube.com/watch?si=Dzo...
www.youtube.com/watch?si=Dzo...
December 11, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Jonathan Daniel, author of SUDS SERIES: Baseball, Beer Wars, and the Summer of '82, recently appeared on the A Lott on Sports podcast to discuss his book. Listen to the interview here:
www.youtube.com/watch?si=Dzo...
www.youtube.com/watch?si=Dzo...
"They say basic services have eroded. The streets are filled with potholes and illegally dumped trash; crime is a constant concern. And yet the police only seem to show up to pull over and ticket the very trucks that serve their businesses..." #STL
Near North Riverfront businesses are fed up—and want a voice at City Hall
Ron Hughey was born and raised in North St. Louis, and he still has vivid memories of what the city’s Near North Riverfront was like before NAFTA helped to hollow out American industry. In high school...
www.stlmag.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:19 PM
"They say basic services have eroded. The streets are filled with potholes and illegally dumped trash; crime is a constant concern. And yet the police only seem to show up to pull over and ticket the very trucks that serve their businesses..." #STL
Reposted by Matt Averett
Now it’s HUD and Eisenhower buildings. Though the style isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s forceful architecture as historically noteworthy as any of the classicals. As important—there’s an effective, established process for handling alterations, etc. #accountability www.archpaper.com/2025/12/hud-...
www.archpaper.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Now it’s HUD and Eisenhower buildings. Though the style isn’t to everyone’s taste, it’s forceful architecture as historically noteworthy as any of the classicals. As important—there’s an effective, established process for handling alterations, etc. #accountability www.archpaper.com/2025/12/hud-...
The Trump administration has proposed demolishing the Cohen building, threatening important New Deal works. "In the event of demolition, removing the Guston would be a cinch; removing the Fogels more difficult; and removing the Shahn extremely difficult and costly, and perhaps impossible." #WPA
Can the “Sistine Chapel of the New Deal” Be Saved From Trump?
Precious murals by Ben Shahn, Philip Guston, and others are even more endangered than we knew.
newrepublic.com
December 10, 2025 at 2:24 PM
The Trump administration has proposed demolishing the Cohen building, threatening important New Deal works. "In the event of demolition, removing the Guston would be a cinch; removing the Fogels more difficult; and removing the Shahn extremely difficult and costly, and perhaps impossible." #WPA
Reposted by Matt Averett
🚨BREAKING: More than 300,000 Missourians have signed a petition demanding that the gerrymander be put to a statewide referendum, advocacy organization People Not Politicians announced as it delivered those signatures to the state government Tuesday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
300,000 Missouri Voters Sign Petition To Put GOP Gerrymander to Statewide Vote
Read more here.
www.democracydocket.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:42 PM
🚨BREAKING: More than 300,000 Missourians have signed a petition demanding that the gerrymander be put to a statewide referendum, advocacy organization People Not Politicians announced as it delivered those signatures to the state government Tuesday. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
Reposted by Matt Averett
Here is a great list of some of the best books about Black history published in 2025. 🗃️ www.aaihs.org/the-best-bla...
The Best Black History Books of 2025 - AAIHS
We are pleased to release this year’s AAIHS list of the best books published in 2025! Check out this extraordinary list of great books from 2025 that offer varied historical perspectives on the Black ...
www.aaihs.org
December 8, 2025 at 12:58 PM
Here is a great list of some of the best books about Black history published in 2025. 🗃️ www.aaihs.org/the-best-bla...
A report found that in April 2025, there were "9,000 vacant buildings in the city, and 15,000 vacant lots, making up 18 percent of city land parcels and taking up 6.6 square miles in the just over 60 square-mile footprint of St. Louis city. Those cost the city $21 million in upkeep fees..." #STL
The nonprofit will return to its all-volunteer roots, citing the tightening landscape for grant money.
St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative will eliminate all paid staff as city grant ends
The nonprofit St. Louis Vacancy Collaborative, a coalition “committed to reducing vacant property in St. Louis,” is shedding its three paid staff members at the end of the year and going back to a vol...
www.stlmag.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:38 PM
A report found that in April 2025, there were "9,000 vacant buildings in the city, and 15,000 vacant lots, making up 18 percent of city land parcels and taking up 6.6 square miles in the just over 60 square-mile footprint of St. Louis city. Those cost the city $21 million in upkeep fees..." #STL
4theVille "will offer tours about the history of Black wealth in the city, as well as a walking tour that highlights Black St. Louis’ connection to the Gateway Arch mall downtown. Docents will also serve as tour guides for the Missouri History Museum’s latest exhibit about Mill Creek Valley." #STL
4theVille is expanding its storytelling docent program, growing from five to seven tours and adding two new docents.
The grant-funded effort helps the community learn and share St. Louis’ Black history.
The grant-funded effort helps the community learn and share St. Louis’ Black history.
4theVille offers a docent training program to better share St. Louis’ rich Black history
The community organization is introducing a docent training program to share the stories of Black St. Louisans and their legacies.
www.stlpr.org
December 6, 2025 at 3:35 PM
4theVille "will offer tours about the history of Black wealth in the city, as well as a walking tour that highlights Black St. Louis’ connection to the Gateway Arch mall downtown. Docents will also serve as tour guides for the Missouri History Museum’s latest exhibit about Mill Creek Valley." #STL
Reposted by Matt Averett
The White House surrenders at 138 million views. Sabrina wins.
December 5, 2025 at 7:55 PM
The White House surrenders at 138 million views. Sabrina wins.
"...there have now been 1,095 unique scorelines in NFL history. But one never-before-seen #Scorigami stands apart from all the others, on account of its maddening elusiveness: 36–23."
The Mystery of the Missing NFL Score
Why has a game never ended 36–23?
www.theatlantic.com
December 5, 2025 at 1:48 PM
"...there have now been 1,095 unique scorelines in NFL history. But one never-before-seen #Scorigami stands apart from all the others, on account of its maddening elusiveness: 36–23."