Ray Clemens
@rayclemens.bsky.social
Medievalist: retired curator of early books and manuscripts (Beinecke Library, Yale University), Latin Paleography, Middle English Paleography, Book History, Hagiography.
I had a wonderful time at Lectures on Tap at Theory in Chicago last night. Great audience and fun questions. Highly recommend their events. lecturesontap.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I had a wonderful time at Lectures on Tap at Theory in Chicago last night. Great audience and fun questions. Highly recommend their events. lecturesontap.com
If you haven’t read the FBI file on the song “Louie Louie” it’s worth a look. vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-...
Louie Louie (The Song)
In 1963, a rock group named the Kingsmen recorded the song “Louie, Louie.” The popularity of the song and difficulty in discerning the lyrics led some people to suspect the song was obscene. The FBI w...
vault.fbi.gov
November 15, 2025 at 4:52 PM
If you haven’t read the FBI file on the song “Louie Louie” it’s worth a look. vault.fbi.gov/louie-louie-...
From ISU's Carthusian Breviary. Any idea who the saint is ? Stephen the protomartyr (stoned to death) or Antony (self-mortification)?
November 14, 2025 at 6:02 PM
From ISU's Carthusian Breviary. Any idea who the saint is ? Stephen the protomartyr (stoned to death) or Antony (self-mortification)?
Wanted to share this beautiful miniature from Illinois State University’s Special Collections. These are from a Carthusian Breviary.
November 2, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Wanted to share this beautiful miniature from Illinois State University’s Special Collections. These are from a Carthusian Breviary.
Reposted by Ray Clemens
Many #children with #autism are non-verbal, so if a child knocks on your door and holds out their blue #pumpkin, just know that many won’t talk or say trick or treat. Don’t take it as rude; they're just trying to enjoy #Halloween like everyone else.
#TrickOrTreat #NonVerbal #BluePumpkin
#TrickOrTreat #NonVerbal #BluePumpkin
October 31, 2025 at 12:00 AM
Many #children with #autism are non-verbal, so if a child knocks on your door and holds out their blue #pumpkin, just know that many won’t talk or say trick or treat. Don’t take it as rude; they're just trying to enjoy #Halloween like everyone else.
#TrickOrTreat #NonVerbal #BluePumpkin
#TrickOrTreat #NonVerbal #BluePumpkin
Some shameless self promotion if anyone happens to be in Chicago and wants a beer and a talk on medieval manuscripts.
October 31, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Some shameless self promotion if anyone happens to be in Chicago and wants a beer and a talk on medieval manuscripts.
Reposted by Ray Clemens
NEW: Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, has issued a new statement declaring that Chicago "communities are shaken by immigration raids and detentions. These actions wound the soul of our city. Let me be clear. The Church stands with migrants."
October 21, 2025 at 6:05 PM
NEW: Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, has issued a new statement declaring that Chicago "communities are shaken by immigration raids and detentions. These actions wound the soul of our city. Let me be clear. The Church stands with migrants."
October 21, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Chicago No Kings Rally. 10/18/2025
October 19, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Chicago No Kings Rally. 10/18/2025
Fascinating micro-history done in the Newberry collections by a U of Chicago intern about a man charged with bigamy. www.newberry.org/blog/constru...
Constructing Microhistories through Silences in the Archive
www.newberry.org
October 17, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Fascinating micro-history done in the Newberry collections by a U of Chicago intern about a man charged with bigamy. www.newberry.org/blog/constru...
Reposted by Ray Clemens
Mind-numbing how many layers of history there can be to a single manuscript page: Syriac upper text (10th c.), Armenian undertext (pre-10th c.), Arabic material used for binding (11-12th c.?), Coptic foliation in the margin (date?), modern foliation at the bottom. Image: Leiden UL Or. 14236, link ⬇️
October 16, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Mind-numbing how many layers of history there can be to a single manuscript page: Syriac upper text (10th c.), Armenian undertext (pre-10th c.), Arabic material used for binding (11-12th c.?), Coptic foliation in the margin (date?), modern foliation at the bottom. Image: Leiden UL Or. 14236, link ⬇️
Chris Fletcher’s new book is out and it’s open access! I’ve heard him speak on it and it sounds fascinating and very helpful for those teaching public humanities. www.arc-humanities.org/978180270096...
Public Engagement in the European Middle Ages - Arc Humanities Press
This manual uses the medieval past to teach modern scholars how to succeed in public engagement. Combining a careful study of public engagement in Europe bet...
www.arc-humanities.org
October 16, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Chris Fletcher’s new book is out and it’s open access! I’ve heard him speak on it and it sounds fascinating and very helpful for those teaching public humanities. www.arc-humanities.org/978180270096...
This unusual animal? is from Newberry Ayer MS 612, a seventeenth century copy of Tarih-i Yeni Dünya, el-musemma be hadis-i nev, A History of the India of the West, written in Turkish. I hope to post more, especially amazing maps that accompany the manuscript.
October 16, 2025 at 12:22 AM
This unusual animal? is from Newberry Ayer MS 612, a seventeenth century copy of Tarih-i Yeni Dünya, el-musemma be hadis-i nev, A History of the India of the West, written in Turkish. I hope to post more, especially amazing maps that accompany the manuscript.
I saw this amazing manuscript at Illinois State University yesterday. They’ve really beefed up their medieval holdings since I taught there. I’ll be posting on them soon. This is a thirteenth-century record of punishments from Italy. Love the parchment.
October 10, 2025 at 3:55 PM
I saw this amazing manuscript at Illinois State University yesterday. They’ve really beefed up their medieval holdings since I taught there. I’ll be posting on them soon. This is a thirteenth-century record of punishments from Italy. Love the parchment.
I’m doing my best to be a cranky old man but I have to admit I love the over-the-top Halloween decorations in my neighborhood.
October 8, 2025 at 3:07 PM
I’m doing my best to be a cranky old man but I have to admit I love the over-the-top Halloween decorations in my neighborhood.
Reposted by Ray Clemens
They are taking brown *and* Black Chicagoans. ICE is terrorizing neighborhoods. They want us to be scared, to obey in advance, to bend the knee. And my city of big shoulders, we need to step up even more. Do not go gentle into that good night.
The more privilege you have, the louder you should be.
The more privilege you have, the louder you should be.
October 4, 2025 at 12:57 AM
They are taking brown *and* Black Chicagoans. ICE is terrorizing neighborhoods. They want us to be scared, to obey in advance, to bend the knee. And my city of big shoulders, we need to step up even more. Do not go gentle into that good night.
The more privilege you have, the louder you should be.
The more privilege you have, the louder you should be.
Reposted by Ray Clemens
My husband was detained by ICE today
Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away
I have had zero contact or updates since
#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov
Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away
I have had zero contact or updates since
#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov
October 3, 2025 at 5:12 PM
My husband was detained by ICE today
Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away
I have had zero contact or updates since
#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov
Juan Muñoz, an American citizen, father of 2, and local government official, was peacefully protesting w. other elected officials. He was assaulted and taken away
I have had zero contact or updates since
#SOS
@duckworth.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov
Our brave troops patrolling the rough Gold Coast community in front of the Newberry Library. Keeping our manuscripts safe from their rightful owners, uh, I mean immigrants.
October 4, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Our brave troops patrolling the rough Gold Coast community in front of the Newberry Library. Keeping our manuscripts safe from their rightful owners, uh, I mean immigrants.
Reposted by Ray Clemens
Hello comics-friends! A quick reminder that you have until Oct. 17th to submit your minicomic ideas for consideration for the Newberry Medieval Minicomic Prize! Lots more info at the link.
SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS! Announcing the Newberry Medieval Minicomic Prize: two juried mini-grants of $250.00 each to support emerging artists l for the creation of a new minicomic that engages with medieval culture. More details available here:
www.newberry.org/calendar/new...
www.newberry.org/calendar/new...
Newberry Medieval Minicomic Prize
Juried mini-grants for emerging comic artists interested in engaging with medieval culture.
www.newberry.org
October 2, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Hello comics-friends! A quick reminder that you have until Oct. 17th to submit your minicomic ideas for consideration for the Newberry Medieval Minicomic Prize! Lots more info at the link.
This is a wild “D” from Newberry Case MS 1 (French?, 11th century). I see Irish influence—can someone help me find parallels or tell me I’m crazy? I love how rough 11th century parchment is and the wonderful letterforms particularly the x that takes up the space of two normal letters.
October 1, 2025 at 4:52 PM
This is a wild “D” from Newberry Case MS 1 (French?, 11th century). I see Irish influence—can someone help me find parallels or tell me I’m crazy? I love how rough 11th century parchment is and the wonderful letterforms particularly the x that takes up the space of two normal letters.
Happy “E” for Monday! Ecce! Behold! From Newberry Library MS Case 1. French? Early 11th Century.
September 29, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Happy “E” for Monday! Ecce! Behold! From Newberry Library MS Case 1. French? Early 11th Century.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to play with this beautiful manuscript the Newberry Library. This is Newberry MS Case 1, a homiliary from the early 11th century. Love the elongated format. Likely France.
September 25, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Yesterday I had the opportunity to play with this beautiful manuscript the Newberry Library. This is Newberry MS Case 1, a homiliary from the early 11th century. Love the elongated format. Likely France.
