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pappas.bsky.social
Peter Pappas
@pappas.bsky.social
490 followers 670 following 150 posts
Creator of “The Forgotten Files: Because the past is still teaching." Fueled by jazz, biking, books, film, garlic. AI curious.
forgottenfiles.substack.com
linktr.ee/peterpappas
People's Republic of #PDX
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pappas.bsky.social
Peter Pappas @pappas.bsky.social · Jan 19
My lesson exploring how systemic inequality has shaped communities, using redlining maps and the 1940 Census. A powerful way for students to connect history with personal narratives and understand the impact of policy on people's lives. #edusky #history peterpappas.com/2020/11/mapp...
A historical black-and-white photograph showing four young Black children standing in front of a tall concrete wall in Detroit, Michigan. The wall, built in August 1941, was constructed to separate Black neighborhoods from a white housing development. A quote by John Vachon reads: ‘Negro children standing in front of half mile concrete wall, Detroit, Michigan. This wall was built in August 1941, to separate the Negro section from a white housing development going up on the other side.’ The image is part of a graphic titled ‘Designing Inequality: How Government Policies Segregated America’s Cities.
pappas.bsky.social
Young Republican’s racist chat leaks are not a shock to history teachers. Currier and Ives’ “Darktown comics” sold by the tens of thousands and trained Americans to laugh at brutality. See the comics and connect the dots.
forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt... #racism #history
The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics
White Supremacy’s Favorite Joke
forgottenfiles.substack.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:23 PM
pappas.bsky.social
JFK: “Ask not what your country can do for you.”
Trump: “Ask not to explain anything to me.”

#Trump
Truth social post from [Donald J. Trump / @realDonaldTrump] "The Wall Street Journal ran a typically untruthful story today by saying that Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent, explained to me that firing Jerome "Too Late" Powell, the Worst Federal Reserve Chairman in History, would be bad for the Market. Nobody had to explain that to me. I know better than anybody what's good for the Market, and what's good for the U.S.A. If it weren't for me, the Market wouldn't be at Record Highs right now, it probably would have CRASHED! So, get your information CORRECT. People don't explain to me, l explain to them!"
July 21, 2025 at 1:16 AM
pappas.bsky.social
Portland wakes to a warm dawn, the horizon already hinting at the furnace that awaits
Caption Sunrise sizzle: Mt. Hood burns gold above Tilikum Crossing as Portland wakes to a warm dawn, the horizon already hinting at the furnace waiting in the afternoon. Alt text Warm predawn view from Southwest Portland: Mt. Hood’s shadowed peak stands against a fiery orange sky, layered hills fade toward the horizon, and the cable-stayed Tilikum Crossing glows with bridge lights above the Willamette River, framed by illuminated South Waterfront buildings—an early hint of the day’s coming heat.
July 17, 2025 at 1:08 AM
pappas.bsky.social
AI took the coding jobs. The philosophers are just asking why. #AI #EduSky
Bar chart titled “Unemployment Rate of Recent Graduates showing lower unemployment rates for Philosophy and Art History Majors than Computer engineering or Computer Science
July 15, 2025 at 12:20 AM
pappas.bsky.social
"From 1910s 'Better Baby' fairs to MAGA's fertility crusade--discover how America's eugenic past still shapes today's immigration and family policies." forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/better-bab... #History #edusky #MAGA
Composite header: on the left, a black-and-white photo of a toddler in a diaper standing hands-on-hips; on the right, a vintage poster that reads "Better Baby Contest -- Indiana State Fair, Aug. 31 to Sept. 7." The pairing evokes early-20th-century baby competitions linked to the eugenics movement.
June 24, 2025 at 11:43 AM
pappas.bsky.social
Teaching historical thinking with a million-year timeline, three clashing perspectives—and a little help from ChatGPT
#edusky #history #chatgpt #AI peterpappas.com/2025/06/rewi...
Rewinding History with AI: A Timeline Technique that Teaches Perspective
Teaching historical thinking with a million-year timeline, three clashing perspectives—and a little help from ChatGPT
peterpappas.com
June 20, 2025 at 2:12 AM
pappas.bsky.social
Go Timbers
Man in foreground makes peace symbol with his hand as green smoke celebration in Timber’s Army fills the background
May 29, 2025 at 6:46 AM
pappas.bsky.social
Toronto sunset. #Nofilters #photography #sunsets
Photo of Toronto skyline from the water. Blazing sunset reflected in the water. Silhouette of city
May 17, 2025 at 4:19 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Somewhere in this setup is the illusion of productivity
Dual-monitor desk setup showing a March Madness basketball game on one screen and a Portland Thorns soccer match on the other, with Apple devices neatly arranged—everything suggests productivity, but none is happening.
March 30, 2025 at 2:50 AM
pappas.bsky.social
Good food, good friends.Looked up from my plate and found a masterpiece in the shadows. Cheers to the little moments. #SpontaneousArt #photography #abstract #art
A photograph capturing intersecting shadows of geometric patterns on a glass or reflective surface. The image features warm golden tones with crisp lines forming an abstract composition. Faint tree branches are also visible through the reflections, adding depth to the visual layering.
March 15, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Reposted by Peter Pappas
dlaufenberg.bsky.social
Sometimes in my work with the TPS Teachers Network, I'm introduced to some real gems. This was a thing at the turn of the century- www.vox.com/.../the-19th.... And in case you thought it was minor-there are 177 matches for "bicycle face" in Chronicling America. h/t @pappas.bsky.social #sschat
Vox
Vox is a general interest news site for the 21st century. Its mission: to help everyone understand our complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. In text, video and audio, our reporters explain politics, policy, world affairs, technology, culture, science, the climate crisis, money, health and everything else that matters. Our goal is to ensure that everyone, regardless of income or status, can access accurate information that empowers them.
www.vox.com
February 20, 2025 at 6:11 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Mt Hood in the moonlight.
Portland nighttime cityscape illuminated by a full moon, with layers of wispy clouds and airplane contrails stretching across the sky. Below, a vibrant city skyline glows with lights, including a brightly lit bridge and high-rise buildings. In the distance, a snow-capped Mt Hood’s peak is faintly visible against the dark horizon.
February 13, 2025 at 7:54 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Norman Rockwell predicted Facebook groups, but the algorithm lived next door. #edusky #sschat #history
A Norman Rockwell illustration depicting a chain of people gossiping in a series of animated, expressive conversations. The sequence begins with a woman whispering into another woman's ear, and the message travels through multiple pairs of people, each reacting with increasing drama--some shocked, others laughing, some leaning in eagerly. The characters include men and women of various ages, dressed in mid-20th-century attire, with some talking on the telephone and others engaged in face-to-face conversations. The chain of gossip ultimately comes full circle, ending with a woman confronting another with an accusatory expression. The painting humorously captures the rapid spread of information (or misinformation) in a pre-digital world.
February 10, 2025 at 10:56 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Great way for students to organize their thinking. I created a digital lesson template you might like https://peterpappas.com/2020/10/making-connections-virtual-organizer.html
mrburtonmps.bsky.social Mr. David Burton @mrburtonmps.bsky.social · Feb 4
Hexagonal Thinking - 30-ish terms printed on hexagons and your team has to link them. If two (or more) terms are touching be ready to explain the connection.

#mpspride #edchat #sschat #oklaed #okss #vocabulary #literacy #history #geography
February 6, 2025 at 3:19 AM
pappas.bsky.social
In the 1930s, 'talkies' replaced live theater orchestras, leaving musicians out of work. A bold campaign to save live music waged a creative war against 'canned sound.' Their fight resonates today as AI disrupts creative industries. The Day the Music Died: forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-day-th...
A 1930s Music Defense League advertisement titled "Making Musical Mince Meat!" depicts a robot feeding musical instruments into a grinder labeled "Canned Music Theatres." The grinder churns out mechanical sound effects ("Bing! Bang! Biff!") while a crowd of theatergoers watches. The imagery symbolizes the replacement of live orchestras with prerecorded soundtracks, a central theme of the campaign.
January 28, 2025 at 12:39 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Meet my new AI assistant: gets it done without backtalk #AI
A beige sweater draped over a chair, positioned in front of a tablet on a desk, resembling a person working. The setup humorously suggests an AI assistant at work
January 27, 2025 at 8:14 PM
pappas.bsky.social
My 145th loan on Kiva. Better than building walls. Will you join me in helping Jose Salvador in Agencia La Unión to pursue their dream? www.kiva.org/invitedby/pe...
Can you help Peter Pappas support Jose Salvador?
Kiva is a loan, not a donation. With Kiva you can lend as little as $25 and make a big change in someone's life.
www.kiva.org
January 21, 2025 at 5:44 PM
pappas.bsky.social
My lesson exploring how systemic inequality has shaped communities, using redlining maps and the 1940 Census. A powerful way for students to connect history with personal narratives and understand the impact of policy on people's lives. #edusky #history peterpappas.com/2020/11/mapp...
A historical black-and-white photograph showing four young Black children standing in front of a tall concrete wall in Detroit, Michigan. The wall, built in August 1941, was constructed to separate Black neighborhoods from a white housing development. A quote by John Vachon reads: ‘Negro children standing in front of half mile concrete wall, Detroit, Michigan. This wall was built in August 1941, to separate the Negro section from a white housing development going up on the other side.’ The image is part of a graphic titled ‘Designing Inequality: How Government Policies Segregated America’s Cities.
January 19, 2025 at 6:10 AM
pappas.bsky.social
You know Currier & Ives for their picturesque winter scenes. But have you heard of their Darktown Comics? These wildly popular prints mocked Black ambition and sold white supremacy. My latest post dives into "The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics." forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt...
A Currier & Ives Darktown print titled "A Darktown Lawn Party" depicts a grotesque caricature of a social gathering. A well-dressed Black couple stands at a table under a bright red umbrella, exaggerated features mocking their attempt at sophistication. In the background, chaos unfolds: a bull charges through smoke, a woman struggles with a crying child, and others are depicted in clumsy or absurd poses. The scene ridicules Black leisure and social aspiration, reinforcing racist stereotypes common in 19th-century visual culture. A Currier & Ives Darktown print titled "A Darktown Lawn Party: A Bully Time" depicts a chaotic and grotesque scene. A bull charges through the lawn, trampling over a well-dressed Black woman and tearing apart a red umbrella. Black figures with exaggerated features react in absurd, panicked ways—one climbs a tree, another falls backward, and others flee in disarray. The scene mocks Black leisure and social aspirations, portraying them as clumsy and incompetent, reinforcing racist stereotypes of the 19th century.
January 8, 2025 at 12:02 PM
pappas.bsky.social
The Darktown Comics were 19th-century bestsellers, but their punchlines were anything but innocent. These prints mocked Black ambition to prop up white supremacy. Explore their chilling legacy in my latest post: "The Cruelty of the Darktown Comics" forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/the-cruelt...
A chaotic scene from a Currier & Ives Darktown print depicts a group of Black firefighters in exaggerated, grotesque caricature. The fire engine is spilling smoke as the firefighters fumble with their tasks: one sprays water ineffectively at a woman suspended on a pulley, while others carry babies or engage in slapstick mishaps. The exaggerated features and poses reinforce racist stereotypes, mocking the competence and humanity of Black individuals.
January 7, 2025 at 12:51 PM
pappas.bsky.social
A 1913 cartoon, a New Year's toast, and a reflection on resilience. What history's lessons can teach us about today. forgottenfiles.substack.com/p/historys-t...
A vintage cartoon from _Puck_ magazine, published on December 31, 1913. It depicts Uncle Sam sitting in a cozy parlor, being offered two bottles by the symbolic figure of the New Year, portrayed as a young boy wearing a "1914" sash. The bottles are labeled "Hope" and "Fear," inviting Uncle Sam to make a choice. The scene is warmly lit by a decorative hanging lamp, and Uncle Sam appears pensive, considering his options. A discarded top hat lies on the floor beside him.
December 30, 2024 at 2:29 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Merry Christmas
The image depicts a traditional Nativity scene with the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus, accompanied by the Three Wise Men presenting their gifts. One of the Wise Men is speaking with a speech bubble that says: “Just to be perfectly clear. These are your Birthday AND your Christmas presents.”
December 25, 2024 at 9:45 PM
pappas.bsky.social
Running out of last-minute gift ideas? How about the perfect stocking stuffer: a sunburn in December! That durable 35-cent clip-on holder is perfect. Nothing says Merry Christmas like a surprise scorching. #vintage #advertising #Christmas
A vintage 1950s advertisement for the Westinghouse Sun Lamp featuring the tagline "Give a June tan for Christmas." The ad shows a glamorous couple with glowing tans alongside a pale, envious couple. The lamp is marketed as a source of "Vitamin D" for achieving a healthy summer tan in winter. The ad highlights its affordability at $8.50 and the optional 35-cent clip-on holder. Smaller images showcase women using the lamp for beauty routines, with claims of safety and endorsement by the American Medical Association. A festive ribbon and holly design emphasize its appeal as a holiday gift
December 24, 2024 at 9:58 PM