Dr. Michael Phillips
drmphillipsut.bsky.social
Dr. Michael Phillips
@drmphillipsut.bsky.social
Historian, author of “White Metropolis” and co-author of the upcoming “The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas.”
The Democratic Party tonight adopted a new logo.
November 10, 2025 at 2:28 AM
@betsyfriauf.bsky.social and I had a nice lunch Friday with Emmy-winner Leigh Stieglitz Morales, the longtime auteur behind “True Life” on MTV. She recently moved to Dallas and wants to learn about the city.
November 8, 2025 at 4:21 PM
The Supreme Court says that just because they force women to give birth that doesn’t imply any obligation to feed the children who result.
November 8, 2025 at 3:35 PM
To quote Apocalypse Now: “The horror. The horror.”
November 7, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Rupert Murdoch seems upset.
November 5, 2025 at 4:57 AM
Peter Theil having a moment.
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
My costume arrived too late for me to wear tonight.
November 1, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Here is the news story that perfectly captures 2025.
October 28, 2025 at 11:24 PM
We were interviewed by Cydney Walker, the host of the “Coffee and Politics 101” podcast, about our book “The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas” at Mokah Coffee in Dallas yesterday. We’ll be at Deep Vellum Books in Dallas November 1.
October 26, 2025 at 7:07 PM
There was something painterly about the sky over Plano, Texas tonight.
October 26, 2025 at 12:01 AM
This also captures the ominously buoyant mood on Wall Street today.
October 22, 2025 at 2:12 PM
@stevanzetti.bsky.social and I finished recording a 3-part mini-series on lethal injection & its future for the podcast “It Could Happen Here.” It will hopefully air in the next couple of weeks. @betsyfriauf.bsky.social and I have a couple of interviews coming up about our new book.
October 16, 2025 at 10:02 PM
You've really got to hand it to the foot soldiers in Trump and Stephen Miller's Schutzstaffel as they face off these ferocious terrorists in war-ravaged Portland.
October 15, 2025 at 3:34 PM
The red maple we planted on our backyard.
October 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
I'll be speaking tomorrow from 3:30 to 5 at Wooten Hall, Room 216, at the University of North Texas about the book I co-authored with Betsy Friauf, "The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas." It is disturbingly relevant. We hope we see you.
October 13, 2025 at 5:49 PM
During our talk at UT Arlington about our new book, “The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas,” the wonderful staff at the UTA library put together a small exhibit on E.E. Davis, the eugenicist leader of the college that became UTA from 1925-1946. @oupress.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I'm finishing a script for a podcast mini-series on the grisly business of lethal injection. Tomorrow, I'll be speaking at my alma mater, UT Arlington, about the book I co-authored with Betsy Friauf, "The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas." (Photo by Suzanne York.)
October 8, 2025 at 10:51 AM
@betsyfriauf.bsky.social and I had a great time at the East Texas Historical Association meeting. We spoke about our new book "The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas." We next speak at UT Arlington main library this Thursday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. We hope we see you there.
October 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
My co-author @betsyfriauf.bsky.social makes her talk this past Monday at the University of Texas based on our book, "The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas." We'll be on a panel at the East Texas Historical Association in Nacogdoches this Friday.
October 1, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Operation Distraction is going swimmingly.
September 24, 2025 at 12:58 AM
September 18, 2025 at 2:22 PM
In other development in our McCarthyite era, an independent Texas A&M "news" site posted this.
September 18, 2025 at 12:52 AM
A good crowd showed up for our talk about our new book "The Purifying Knife" at SMU last night.

Afterwards, we had a conversation with our hosts, Dr. Crista J. Deluzio, Ashton Reynolds, Director Dr. Ariel Ron, my co-author Betsy Friauf, Dr. Neil Foley, longtime educator Angela Hinz.
September 17, 2025 at 4:56 PM
If you are in the DFW area, I hope you will attend this event tonight. Here are the details:

Michael Phillips and Betsy Friauf
Lecture: The Purifying Knife: The Troubling History of Eugenics in Texas
Tuesday, September 16, 6 p.m.
Fondren Library, SMU.
September 16, 2025 at 6:09 PM
My son is a teaching assistant at Yonsei University and told me he’s grading history papers. “It’s a family tradition,” he said.
September 16, 2025 at 2:45 AM