jbessmor
@jbessmor.bsky.social
Ph.D., history of slavery & gendered violence. Moved here from the other place. Navigating finishing a book. In solidarity with other researchers who have lost funding. Dog person, obviously.
Reposted by jbessmor
The Second Window. Once upon a time, there was a green-eyed Tabby Cat who ran a bookshop by the Christ Church gate of Canterbury Cathedral. It was a marvellous place, four stories high, with treasures on every shelf & free buttered toast, plum cake & hot sweet tea for all who visited.
December 2, 2025 at 4:26 PM
The Second Window. Once upon a time, there was a green-eyed Tabby Cat who ran a bookshop by the Christ Church gate of Canterbury Cathedral. It was a marvellous place, four stories high, with treasures on every shelf & free buttered toast, plum cake & hot sweet tea for all who visited.
Reposted by jbessmor
On this day in 1915, the Supreme Court upheld a law providing that an American woman could be stripped of citizenship upon marriage to a foreign husband. U.S. men marrying foreign women were permitted to keep their citizenship.
Dec. 6, 1915 | Supreme Court Rules American Women With Foreign Husbands Lose Citizenship
Learn more about our history of racial injustice.
calendar.eji.org
December 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM
On this day in 1915, the Supreme Court upheld a law providing that an American woman could be stripped of citizenship upon marriage to a foreign husband. U.S. men marrying foreign women were permitted to keep their citizenship.
Reposted by jbessmor
For anyone reading with even a little background, this article tells us a bit more about what's happening at the National Archives: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...
At the National Archives, a Deep Dive Into the American Story
www.nytimes.com
December 5, 2025 at 2:01 PM
For anyone reading with even a little background, this article tells us a bit more about what's happening at the National Archives: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/a...
Reposted by jbessmor
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NZw... m.youtube.com/watch?v=6NZw...
I see this argument all the time as a historian. It is used to justify gendered violence (real and imagined). Guess what? History isn't an excuse. It wasn't a "different time." Ppl who spoke up were simply ignored
#16DaysofActivism
I see this argument all the time as a historian. It is used to justify gendered violence (real and imagined). Guess what? History isn't an excuse. It wasn't a "different time." Ppl who spoke up were simply ignored
#16DaysofActivism
"It's historical": violence against women in fantasy
YouTube video by Bookborn
www.youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NZw... m.youtube.com/watch?v=6NZw...
I see this argument all the time as a historian. It is used to justify gendered violence (real and imagined). Guess what? History isn't an excuse. It wasn't a "different time." Ppl who spoke up were simply ignored
#16DaysofActivism
I see this argument all the time as a historian. It is used to justify gendered violence (real and imagined). Guess what? History isn't an excuse. It wasn't a "different time." Ppl who spoke up were simply ignored
#16DaysofActivism
December 3, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Reposted by jbessmor
Judging from the quotes in here, university admins are some of the least “ai literate” people in existence. No wonder they think students need to be taught how to use it.
After mass AI college-cheating freakout, many admissions offices are using it to screen student applications | Fortune
It wasn't long ago they began banning student use of it for homework or test-taking. Admissions offices are different, though.
fortune.com
December 2, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Judging from the quotes in here, university admins are some of the least “ai literate” people in existence. No wonder they think students need to be taught how to use it.
Reposted by jbessmor
"the issue isn’t that we need more 'boy-friendly' reforms. It’s that boys are socialized to compete only with boys and to read girls’ success as illegitimate or emasculating. The result is dissonance, resentment, and disengagement for boys—and hostile climates for girls."
time.com/7335723/auto...
time.com/7335723/auto...
The Real Way Schools are Failing Boys
“If we really want boys to succeed, we need to ensure that they know how to both beat—and lose— to girls."
time.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:21 AM
"the issue isn’t that we need more 'boy-friendly' reforms. It’s that boys are socialized to compete only with boys and to read girls’ success as illegitimate or emasculating. The result is dissonance, resentment, and disengagement for boys—and hostile climates for girls."
time.com/7335723/auto...
time.com/7335723/auto...
Reposted by jbessmor
Alice Magazine is a fashion and wellness magazine that primarily covers women. Nineteen Fifty-Six covers Black student life and culture.
“Hood said that the University made the decision and had not been spurred by a complaint about the magazines.“
thecrimsonwhite.com/125358/news/...
“Hood said that the University made the decision and had not been spurred by a complaint about the magazines.“
thecrimsonwhite.com/125358/news/...
University suspends Alice, Nineteen Fifty-Six student magazines
The University of Alabama Department of Student Life suspended Nineteen Fifty-Six and Alice Magazine, two University-funded student magazines, on Monday, citing a federal memo issued by U.S. Attorney ...
thecrimsonwhite.com
December 2, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Alice Magazine is a fashion and wellness magazine that primarily covers women. Nineteen Fifty-Six covers Black student life and culture.
“Hood said that the University made the decision and had not been spurred by a complaint about the magazines.“
thecrimsonwhite.com/125358/news/...
“Hood said that the University made the decision and had not been spurred by a complaint about the magazines.“
thecrimsonwhite.com/125358/news/...
Reposted by jbessmor
"The Underground Railroad was not so much aimed at 'helping' fugitives escape as it was a movement to learn from & amplify the work fugitives were already doing to free themselves." by Jesse Olsavsky in @hammerandhope.bsky.social
For anyone teaching U.S. history ⬇️
hammerandhope.org/article/unde...
For anyone teaching U.S. history ⬇️
hammerandhope.org/article/unde...
The Black People Who Fled Slavery Had a Lot to Teach Their Northern Allies
Black-led vigilance committees not only protected and aided fugitives but also learned from the formerly enslaved as they built a movement pedagogy together.
hammerandhope.org
November 28, 2025 at 3:26 AM
"The Underground Railroad was not so much aimed at 'helping' fugitives escape as it was a movement to learn from & amplify the work fugitives were already doing to free themselves." by Jesse Olsavsky in @hammerandhope.bsky.social
For anyone teaching U.S. history ⬇️
hammerandhope.org/article/unde...
For anyone teaching U.S. history ⬇️
hammerandhope.org/article/unde...
Reposted by jbessmor
December 1, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reposted by jbessmor
In a day that will forever live on in infamy, and 3 months after a horrendous murder shook the country;
70 years ago today, a 42 year old woman took a deceptively simple but defiant stance that led to the biggest and most successful boycott in American history.
Mrs Park said no
70 years ago today, a 42 year old woman took a deceptively simple but defiant stance that led to the biggest and most successful boycott in American history.
Mrs Park said no
December 1, 2025 at 1:03 PM
In a day that will forever live on in infamy, and 3 months after a horrendous murder shook the country;
70 years ago today, a 42 year old woman took a deceptively simple but defiant stance that led to the biggest and most successful boycott in American history.
Mrs Park said no
70 years ago today, a 42 year old woman took a deceptively simple but defiant stance that led to the biggest and most successful boycott in American history.
Mrs Park said no
Reposted by jbessmor
Here are the Top 5 Dogs of the week!
November 28, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Here are the Top 5 Dogs of the week!
Reposted by jbessmor
Beautiful writing.
“…close reading is not magic. Its power lies in argument: always vulnerable, nothing simpler and yet nothing harder. And to clarify my stakes: the way that close reading is powerful is that it lays claim to power.”
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
“…close reading is not magic. Its power lies in argument: always vulnerable, nothing simpler and yet nothing harder. And to clarify my stakes: the way that close reading is powerful is that it lays claim to power.”
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
The Claims of Close Reading - Boston Review
Literary studies have been starved by austerity, but their core methodology remains radical.
www.bostonreview.net
November 30, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Beautiful writing.
“…close reading is not magic. Its power lies in argument: always vulnerable, nothing simpler and yet nothing harder. And to clarify my stakes: the way that close reading is powerful is that it lays claim to power.”
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
“…close reading is not magic. Its power lies in argument: always vulnerable, nothing simpler and yet nothing harder. And to clarify my stakes: the way that close reading is powerful is that it lays claim to power.”
www.bostonreview.net/articles/the...
Reposted by jbessmor
Some great books and articles on archives and libraries that came out in 2025.
In no specific order.
🧵
In no specific order.
🧵
November 30, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Some great books and articles on archives and libraries that came out in 2025.
In no specific order.
🧵
In no specific order.
🧵
Reposted by jbessmor
People are using it a lot more than we realize. It's bad folks.
November 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM
People are using it a lot more than we realize. It's bad folks.
Reposted by jbessmor
"Where are the Black photographers?" Deborah Willis on how she turned that question into an artistic mission.
'Reflections in Black' celebrates history of Black photography with expanded issue
"Where are the Black photographers?" Deborah Willis on how she turned that question into an artistic mission.
n.pr
November 29, 2025 at 12:58 PM
"Where are the Black photographers?" Deborah Willis on how she turned that question into an artistic mission.
Reposted by jbessmor
In US newspapers in 1898: "Waffles is the pet tabby of Fred Guthrie, who lives on Spruce street, near Eighth. Mr. Guthrie keeps a saddle horse for riding in the park. In his lodgings, Waffles, a large, handsome cat of no particular strain, of weight 17 pounds, lives with him."
November 28, 2025 at 5:41 PM
In US newspapers in 1898: "Waffles is the pet tabby of Fred Guthrie, who lives on Spruce street, near Eighth. Mr. Guthrie keeps a saddle horse for riding in the park. In his lodgings, Waffles, a large, handsome cat of no particular strain, of weight 17 pounds, lives with him."
Reposted by jbessmor
They gave a lot of artists a basic income in Ireland and they found they generated a €1.39 return for every €1 invested. They're now making it permanent. theconversation.com/irelands-bas...
Ireland’s basic income scheme for artists points at how governments could help sectors in crisis
It’s one of the first to make it out of the pilot stage and to offer a subsistence level payment.
theconversation.com
November 29, 2025 at 3:25 AM
They gave a lot of artists a basic income in Ireland and they found they generated a €1.39 return for every €1 invested. They're now making it permanent. theconversation.com/irelands-bas...
Reposted by jbessmor
“If we can build a climate saving AI – that’s awesome! But that’s not what Amazon is spending billions of dollars to develop. They are investing fossil fuel energy draining data centers for AI that is intended to surveil, exploit, and squeeze every extra cent out of customers, communities…”
November 28, 2025 at 3:33 PM
“If we can build a climate saving AI – that’s awesome! But that’s not what Amazon is spending billions of dollars to develop. They are investing fossil fuel energy draining data centers for AI that is intended to surveil, exploit, and squeeze every extra cent out of customers, communities…”
Reposted by jbessmor
Tickets now available: ~Black Reconstruction in Lower Charles Village~ premiering in late November! fullstorybaltimore.tours/our-tours/#c...
November 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Tickets now available: ~Black Reconstruction in Lower Charles Village~ premiering in late November! fullstorybaltimore.tours/our-tours/#c...
Reposted by jbessmor
This is why OpenAI is selling so aggressively to education at all levels—they want to create entire generations of users incapable of reading, writing and thinking without ChatGPT to hold their hands
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
To bear out this rosy projection, HSBC assumes that OpenAI will become "as ubiquitous [...] as Microsoft 365" (345mm users worldwide) while bringing in 10x the number of users (3bn).
November 25, 2025 at 11:11 PM
This is why OpenAI is selling so aggressively to education at all levels—they want to create entire generations of users incapable of reading, writing and thinking without ChatGPT to hold their hands
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
And teachers and professors should call this out for what it actually is
Reposted by jbessmor
This is a great resource. I'm really enjoying seeing other faculty's ideas for AI-resistant or AI-proof writing assignments, and I hope to see the selection grow as we strategize together to promote real learning against the tide of technological bullshit.
against-a-i.com/assignment-i...
against-a-i.com/assignment-i...
Assignment Ideas - AGAINST AI
Image: The Shipwreck, J.M.W. Turner
against-a-i.com
November 27, 2025 at 3:21 PM
This is a great resource. I'm really enjoying seeing other faculty's ideas for AI-resistant or AI-proof writing assignments, and I hope to see the selection grow as we strategize together to promote real learning against the tide of technological bullshit.
against-a-i.com/assignment-i...
against-a-i.com/assignment-i...
Reposted by jbessmor
3. Berate the presenter for sticking to historical realities rather than myths Britain had not introduced democracy anywhere before the end of empire and there was no thought of developing colonies until 1929, even then based on loans with interest.
November 27, 2025 at 8:28 AM
3. Berate the presenter for sticking to historical realities rather than myths Britain had not introduced democracy anywhere before the end of empire and there was no thought of developing colonies until 1929, even then based on loans with interest.
Reposted by jbessmor
To “my students and to anyone who might listen, I say: Don’t surrender to AI your ability to read, write and think when others once risked their lives and died for the freedom to do so.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
I Set A Trap To Catch My Students Cheating With AI. The Results Were Shocking.
"Students are not just undermining their ability to learn, but to someday lead."
www.huffpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 12:22 AM
To “my students and to anyone who might listen, I say: Don’t surrender to AI your ability to read, write and think when others once risked their lives and died for the freedom to do so.”
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...
www.huffpost.com/entry/histor...