Sarah J. Purcell
@sarahjpurcell.bsky.social
(She/her) Historian-Teacher-Sometime Digital Humanist. Latest book: Spectacle of Grief: Public Funerals and Memory in the Civil War Era from @UNC_Press
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Here’s a link to the syllabus and the lectures/podcast that David Blight, Beverly Gage, and I are teaching this semester: America at 250: A History.
president.yale.edu/committees-p...
president.yale.edu/committees-p...
November 25, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Here’s a link to the syllabus and the lectures/podcast that David Blight, Beverly Gage, and I are teaching this semester: America at 250: A History.
president.yale.edu/committees-p...
president.yale.edu/committees-p...
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
November 25, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Today, after months of requests, I toured the Broadview ICE Processing Facility. I want to share what I saw.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
The facility has no food vendor, no medical care, and detainees have to use toilets in the middle of shared cells. These are in no way suitable conditions to be holding anyone — period.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
www.reuters.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:10 AM
BREAKING: This is huge news, the EU's equivalent of the 🇺🇸Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling.
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
🇪🇺Court of Justice just ruled all 🇪🇺countries must recognise same-sex marriages granted in other member states.
This effectively legalises gay marriage across 🇪🇺
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Pete Hegseth keeps demanding to be taken seriously and then spends all his time talking down to accomplished military leaders, rebranding his department and renaming ships, engaging in culture wars bullshit, shitting all over the military's sense of ethics and generally making an ass of himself.
November 25, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Pete Hegseth keeps demanding to be taken seriously and then spends all his time talking down to accomplished military leaders, rebranding his department and renaming ships, engaging in culture wars bullshit, shitting all over the military's sense of ethics and generally making an ass of himself.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
A roundtrip LAX-JFK flight in the late 60s was around $3K in today’s dollars. The people who wore suits on those flights were the people who regularly wore suits. Complaining about informally-dressed fliers is complaining that the wrong sorts of people are flying today.
November 25, 2025 at 4:38 PM
A roundtrip LAX-JFK flight in the late 60s was around $3K in today’s dollars. The people who wore suits on those flights were the people who regularly wore suits. Complaining about informally-dressed fliers is complaining that the wrong sorts of people are flying today.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
The Secretary of Defense, ladies and gentlemen
November 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
The Secretary of Defense, ladies and gentlemen
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Really looks like the United States is about to launch a regime change war against Venezuela with:
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
November 24, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Really looks like the United States is about to launch a regime change war against Venezuela with:
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
-No casus belli
-No authorization from Congress
-No allies or international support
-No plan for a post-Maduro Venezuela
-No preparation for any sort of stabilization or containment of the fallout
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Just a friendly reminder as we go into the holidays:
Folks don't have to explain to you why they don't drink.
If you offer them a drink and they decline, don't ask them why. It's not your business.
Just offer them something without alcohol to drink instead. And move on.
Folks don't have to explain to you why they don't drink.
If you offer them a drink and they decline, don't ask them why. It's not your business.
Just offer them something without alcohol to drink instead. And move on.
November 23, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Just a friendly reminder as we go into the holidays:
Folks don't have to explain to you why they don't drink.
If you offer them a drink and they decline, don't ask them why. It's not your business.
Just offer them something without alcohol to drink instead. And move on.
Folks don't have to explain to you why they don't drink.
If you offer them a drink and they decline, don't ask them why. It's not your business.
Just offer them something without alcohol to drink instead. And move on.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
The Trump administration arrested and detained two gospel singer brothers from Guatemala who have lived in Memphis for 10 and 20 years. The administration lied and claimed one had an extensive criminal record. Neither does. One has now been deported.
www.psrmemphis.org/christian-si...
www.psrmemphis.org/christian-si...
Christian Singers Caught In Deportation Net, One Branded 'Worst of Worst' - Institute for Public Service Reporting - Memphis %
% %
www.psrmemphis.org
November 24, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The Trump administration arrested and detained two gospel singer brothers from Guatemala who have lived in Memphis for 10 and 20 years. The administration lied and claimed one had an extensive criminal record. Neither does. One has now been deported.
www.psrmemphis.org/christian-si...
www.psrmemphis.org/christian-si...
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Reposting my 2018 piece about year end lists for anyone who needs it (me!). www.damemagazine.com/2018/12/19/i...
It’s Time to Reconsider the Best-Of List - Dame Magazine
The piles of books and galleys that clutter my apartment are overwhelming. This is not a humble brag—more of a cry for help. I’m a culture writer and critic who is deeply entrenched in the book world....
www.damemagazine.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Reposting my 2018 piece about year end lists for anyone who needs it (me!). www.damemagazine.com/2018/12/19/i...
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Jimmy Cliff did one of the very very early Tiny Desks in 2010, when the whole thing was still really getting figured out. youtu.be/QYtIT6J7G10?...
Jimmy Cliff: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert From The Archives
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
November 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Jimmy Cliff did one of the very very early Tiny Desks in 2010, when the whole thing was still really getting figured out. youtu.be/QYtIT6J7G10?...
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
While the stated purpose of all of these actions is fighting drug trafficking, Treasury Sec. Bessent let slip last week that oil prices could drop “if something happens down in Venezuela.” trib.al/cYTEJc3
Officially, it doesn’t mention the use of military force, but it's likely to make it easier.
Officially, it doesn’t mention the use of military force, but it's likely to make it easier.
November 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
While the stated purpose of all of these actions is fighting drug trafficking, Treasury Sec. Bessent let slip last week that oil prices could drop “if something happens down in Venezuela.” trib.al/cYTEJc3
Officially, it doesn’t mention the use of military force, but it's likely to make it easier.
Officially, it doesn’t mention the use of military force, but it's likely to make it easier.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
An ICE agent was caught removing a sign marking an ICE kidnapping in DC last week! Do we think he did it out of anger, embarrassment, or most appropriately shame? If you think what you’re doing is right, why are you trying to hide the evidence? 👀
November 24, 2025 at 2:49 PM
An ICE agent was caught removing a sign marking an ICE kidnapping in DC last week! Do we think he did it out of anger, embarrassment, or most appropriately shame? If you think what you’re doing is right, why are you trying to hide the evidence? 👀
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
She’s younger than the president and several members of congress
It’s useful for people of my generation to be reminded that this wasn’t that long ago. Ruby Bridges isn’t just still alive—she’s only 71, not ancient!
65 years ago on Nov. 14, little Ruby Bridges was escorted into an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. Norman Rockwell, renowned for blissful depictions of Americana, did this remarkable painting for Look magazine. Printed as a double page, over-size spread, it's his masterpiece.
November 15, 2025 at 10:30 PM
She’s younger than the president and several members of congress
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
not bad for a first version of the cover for what will (eventually) be the #othernetworks #zine
November 15, 2025 at 10:02 PM
not bad for a first version of the cover for what will (eventually) be the #othernetworks #zine
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
"While a legal defense about the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment & the original intentions of its authors could win over SCOTUS, it is important to recognize that this administration is making a political case to the American people about who really counts as a citizen." time.com/7324450/birt...
The Fight for Birthright Citizenship Has Always Been Political
Supporters need to follow Frederick Douglass' example — and make a case for conceiving of citizenship more broadly.
time.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:32 PM
"While a legal defense about the meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment & the original intentions of its authors could win over SCOTUS, it is important to recognize that this administration is making a political case to the American people about who really counts as a citizen." time.com/7324450/birt...
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Nuzzi's fawning coverage of the sociopathic conspiracy crank she was having an affair with aided his rise to political power, which he is using to perpetrate the worst intentional public health catastrophe of our unnecessarily shortened lifetimes, and THAT is the STORY.
November 15, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Nuzzi's fawning coverage of the sociopathic conspiracy crank she was having an affair with aided his rise to political power, which he is using to perpetrate the worst intentional public health catastrophe of our unnecessarily shortened lifetimes, and THAT is the STORY.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution
November 15, 2025 at 3:02 AM
Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal Constitution
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
For no particular reason….posting former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell’s mugshot before he went to Federal prison for committing numerous crimes on behalf and or/at the direction of President Nixon including obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
November 15, 2025 at 2:05 AM
For no particular reason….posting former U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell’s mugshot before he went to Federal prison for committing numerous crimes on behalf and or/at the direction of President Nixon including obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
If you haven't joined your local AAUP, now is a great time to do so.
BREAKING: In AAUP et al v. Trump (wall-to-wall union lawsuit challenging the administration’s unlawful use of TItle VI to reshape the University of California system), the faculty and staff of the UC system WON!!!
We were granted our preliminary injunction! @aaup.org
We were granted our preliminary injunction! @aaup.org
November 15, 2025 at 12:51 AM
If you haven't joined your local AAUP, now is a great time to do so.
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
"Epstein is distinct because he's actually for once acting guilty and shamefaced," @davidfrum.bsky.social says of Trump. "And that has led, I think a lot of people think, this must be really horrible. If all the other things he did, he doesn't cover up; what happened here?"
November 15, 2025 at 2:15 AM
"Epstein is distinct because he's actually for once acting guilty and shamefaced," @davidfrum.bsky.social says of Trump. "And that has led, I think a lot of people think, this must be really horrible. If all the other things he did, he doesn't cover up; what happened here?"
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Preprint w/ (rapid) analysis of Grokipedia, showing it to be “highly derivative of Wikipedia”, but differing, often on controversial topics, in that Grokipedia includes content/cites from low quality (hyper partisan & conspiracy laden) sources like Stormfront & Infowars. arxiv.org/pdf/2511.09685
arxiv.org
November 14, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Preprint w/ (rapid) analysis of Grokipedia, showing it to be “highly derivative of Wikipedia”, but differing, often on controversial topics, in that Grokipedia includes content/cites from low quality (hyper partisan & conspiracy laden) sources like Stormfront & Infowars. arxiv.org/pdf/2511.09685
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
No one leaving New York City because of Mamdani, say two top real estate CEOs
No one leaving New York City because of Mamdani, say two top real estate CEOs
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani's democratic socialist views spark fears companies and capital will flee, but top real estate CEOs say it's not true.
cnb.cx
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
No one leaving New York City because of Mamdani, say two top real estate CEOs
Reposted by Sarah J. Purcell
Trump’s new “affordability” push is basically reversing the tariffs he said would never cause un-affordability.
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
November 14, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Trump’s new “affordability” push is basically reversing the tariffs he said would never cause un-affordability.
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...
@nytimes.com 🤡
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/u...