Jonathan Burdick
@jonathanburdick.bsky.social
History teacher. Writer. #EriePA.
www.jonathanburdick.com
www.jonathanburdick.com
Pinned
Canada Lee's Knockout Path from Erie to Broadway
From welterweight warrior to theater legend
www.eriereader.com
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
I’m all for talking about my research & writing process when asked, but it’s, uh… a bit unconventional & chaotic & probably won’t make much sense even if it all makes perfect sense in my brain. Here’s a time-lapse that’ll give you a peek at how my latest story came together. #writersky #skystorians
November 12, 2025 at 2:02 AM
I’m all for talking about my research & writing process when asked, but it’s, uh… a bit unconventional & chaotic & probably won’t make much sense even if it all makes perfect sense in my brain. Here’s a time-lapse that’ll give you a peek at how my latest story came together. #writersky #skystorians
Here's my latest story which includes a history of the Erie Playhouse in #EriePA. "For a town that they say is beer and bowling … the Playhouse is doing real well," executive director David Matthews said in 1983. #theatersky #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/true...
www.eriereader.com/article/true...
True Community Theater: A History of the Erie Playhouse
The dramatic evolution of Erie's local theater scene
www.eriereader.com
November 12, 2025 at 12:19 AM
Here's my latest story which includes a history of the Erie Playhouse in #EriePA. "For a town that they say is beer and bowling … the Playhouse is doing real well," executive director David Matthews said in 1983. #theatersky #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/true...
www.eriereader.com/article/true...
On this day in 1969, the greatest television show of all time, Sesame Street, premiered. Here’s a story that I wrote about the show (and public television) last year. Seems more relevant than ever: www.eriereader.com/article/how-...
#history #skystorians #sesamestreet
#history #skystorians #sesamestreet
How to Get to Sesame Street: The History and Future of Public Television
Despite touching lives beyond count, value of children's programming still needs spelled out
www.eriereader.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:11 AM
On this day in 1969, the greatest television show of all time, Sesame Street, premiered. Here’s a story that I wrote about the show (and public television) last year. Seems more relevant than ever: www.eriereader.com/article/how-...
#history #skystorians #sesamestreet
#history #skystorians #sesamestreet
Coincidentally, #HATM, my sons & I just watched The Goonies last night. My older boy’s reaction within the first 20 or so minutes: “You’re telling me this movie has the same rating as the Paw Patrol movie?” 😆 (Sidenote: Goonies was released in June 1984 & the PG-13 rating was implemented that July)
October 20, 2025 at 12:34 AM
Coincidentally, #HATM, my sons & I just watched The Goonies last night. My older boy’s reaction within the first 20 or so minutes: “You’re telling me this movie has the same rating as the Paw Patrol movie?” 😆 (Sidenote: Goonies was released in June 1984 & the PG-13 rating was implemented that July)
Went to my childhood roller rink today in the parental capacity. Haven’t been there in 25 years. It looks and even smells exactly the same. Unfortunately there was no Spice Girls, Goo Goo Dolls, or Backstreet Boys playing.
October 19, 2025 at 2:12 AM
Went to my childhood roller rink today in the parental capacity. Haven’t been there in 25 years. It looks and even smells exactly the same. Unfortunately there was no Spice Girls, Goo Goo Dolls, or Backstreet Boys playing.
On this day in 1859, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry began. A few years ago, I wrote this story about Brown, his final days, & the influence of his time spent living in Pennsylvania. If you missed it, I hope you’ll check it out. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
A Hero in the Midst of Cowards
The righteous rage of John Brown
www.eriereader.com
October 17, 2025 at 12:46 AM
On this day in 1859, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry began. A few years ago, I wrote this story about Brown, his final days, & the influence of his time spent living in Pennsylvania. If you missed it, I hope you’ll check it out. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
www.eriereader.com/article/a-he...
First horror movie of the #Halloween season: Fright Night (1985). I haven’t watched this since I was 13 or 14 when I rented a beat up old VHS copy of it, but I remember loving it and its darkly comedic vibe. #HalloweenSky
October 7, 2025 at 12:58 AM
First horror movie of the #Halloween season: Fright Night (1985). I haven’t watched this since I was 13 or 14 when I rented a beat up old VHS copy of it, but I remember loving it and its darkly comedic vibe. #HalloweenSky
Reposted by Jonathan Burdick
Starting with today's post, on some of the many AmericanStudies reasons why we can't forget the histories & stories of boxing--& a couple reasons why I wish we could.
blackwhiteandread.com/september-29...
blackwhiteandread.com/september-29...
September 29, 2025: The Thrilla in Manila: Boxing and America - Black and White and Read All Over
[50 years ago this week, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier met in Manila for their third and final professional boxing bout. So this week on the blog I’ll step into the ring with posts on a handful of cont...
blackwhiteandread.com
September 29, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Starting with today's post, on some of the many AmericanStudies reasons why we can't forget the histories & stories of boxing--& a couple reasons why I wish we could.
blackwhiteandread.com/september-29...
blackwhiteandread.com/september-29...
Reposted by Jonathan Burdick
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
#ScholarSunday Thread 243 (9/28/25) - Black and White and Read All Over
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! Fi...
blackwhiteandread.com
September 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Here it is, my 243rd #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. Add more below, please share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...
Reposted by Jonathan Burdick
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Canada Lee's Knockout Path from Erie to Broadway
From welterweight warrior to theater legend
www.eriereader.com
September 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Canada Lee's Knockout Path from Erie to Broadway
From welterweight warrior to theater legend
www.eriereader.com
September 25, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Canada Lee was an esteemed Broadway actor who, among other roles, was the lead in Orson Welles's Native Son adaptation. In Hollywood, he worked with Alfred Hitchcock & alongside Sidney Poitier. Before this though? A scrappy boxer. My latest. #history #skystorians
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
www.eriereader.com/article/cana...
Got my copy of the second volume of The Triangle. I’m in good company. And everybody else involved — editors, photographers, the absolutely indispensable archivists and researchers — sure did make this magazine look SLICK. #history #skystorians #EriePA
September 23, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Got my copy of the second volume of The Triangle. I’m in good company. And everybody else involved — editors, photographers, the absolutely indispensable archivists and researchers — sure did make this magazine look SLICK. #history #skystorians #EriePA
Without my editor, I get a little carried away. But here’s my perspective on the whole echo chambers discussion. I have a lot of thoughts. A.I. slop! Algorithms! Dead Internet Theory! The World Wide Web! RSS feeds! Journalistic codes of ethics! Read on:
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
JonathanBurdick.com - Echo Chambers
The Same Sad Echo (Chamber)
www.jonathanburdick.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Without my editor, I get a little carried away. But here’s my perspective on the whole echo chambers discussion. I have a lot of thoughts. A.I. slop! Algorithms! Dead Internet Theory! The World Wide Web! RSS feeds! Journalistic codes of ethics! Read on:
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/echo-c...
New magazine dropped with my story “Ink & Imagination Built Erie” covering many of Erie’s notable past architects. Unfortunately though, the magazine is sent to Erie County Historical Society members and only available to buy at the museum, so no link of it to share (yet?). #history #skystorians
August 22, 2025 at 10:12 PM
New magazine dropped with my story “Ink & Imagination Built Erie” covering many of Erie’s notable past architects. Unfortunately though, the magazine is sent to Erie County Historical Society members and only available to buy at the museum, so no link of it to share (yet?). #history #skystorians
Got to see Morgan Freeman talk about Mississippi, blues music, and his Ground Zero Blues Club. Then watched Keith Johnson (great-nephew of Muddy Waters) and others with the Symphonic Blues Experience perform “I Lied to You” from Sinners. So, that was a pretty solid Tuesday. #filmsky #musicsky
August 19, 2025 at 8:41 PM
These 1990s READ posters for the American Library Association were amazing. #litsky #readsky #writersky
August 19, 2025 at 2:11 AM
These 1990s READ posters for the American Library Association were amazing. #litsky #readsky #writersky
I don’t know who can relate, but I think my kids think Spirit Halloween’s opening day is a national holiday and that it’s our patriotic duty to go.
August 17, 2025 at 5:51 PM
I don’t know who can relate, but I think my kids think Spirit Halloween’s opening day is a national holiday and that it’s our patriotic duty to go.
This John Brown children’s book I snagged has some major Touchdown for Tommy vibes. But I’m here for it. #history #skystorians #ushistory
August 17, 2025 at 1:46 AM
This John Brown children’s book I snagged has some major Touchdown for Tommy vibes. But I’m here for it. #history #skystorians #ushistory
Reposted by Jonathan Burdick
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
August 15, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
Dreams really do come true.
August 15, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Dreams really do come true.
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
August 15, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Eighty years ago, World War II ended. My latest, in which I reflect on it all, is up: “‘If [Hitler] were killing a mouse he would know how to make it seem like a dragon,’ quipped George Orwell.” #history #skystorians #WWII
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
www.eriereader.com/article/80-y...
I recently reread George Orwell’s “Why I Write,” a favorite of mine as a teenager. It inspired me to do something that I haven’t done much of in the last decade: write something personal. If you enjoy it, let me know. #writing #writersky #writingcommunity
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/why-i-...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/why-i-...
JonathanBurdick.com - Why I Write
Why I Write
www.jonathanburdick.com
August 8, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I recently reread George Orwell’s “Why I Write,” a favorite of mine as a teenager. It inspired me to do something that I haven’t done much of in the last decade: write something personal. If you enjoy it, let me know. #writing #writersky #writingcommunity
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/why-i-...
www.jonathanburdick.com/words/why-i-...
I’m going to actively encourage students this year to use multiple search engines beyond Google. I might even tie-in some sort of comparison between what they find on the first pages of each search. So, Bluesky, what’s your favorite non-Google search engine (and why)? #skystorians #edusky #research
August 8, 2025 at 2:11 PM
I’m going to actively encourage students this year to use multiple search engines beyond Google. I might even tie-in some sort of comparison between what they find on the first pages of each search. So, Bluesky, what’s your favorite non-Google search engine (and why)? #skystorians #edusky #research
If I ever strike it rich, I think these shirts would immediately become my new classroom teacher personality. Maybe introduce one new one each week until they’re the only thing I was wearing.
August 3, 2025 at 2:42 AM
If I ever strike it rich, I think these shirts would immediately become my new classroom teacher personality. Maybe introduce one new one each week until they’re the only thing I was wearing.
I wrote this in January. It’s deeply depressing to read it again today. #history #skystorians #PBS #publicTV
Here’s my latest. It has puppets! Mr. Rogers! History! People calling Sesame Street “authoritarian” and “dangerous” and setting kids up for a “life of bourgeois imprisonment!” Spoiler alert: I think it’s the greatest show ever created. #history #skystorians #PBS
www.eriereader.com/article/how-...
www.eriereader.com/article/how-...
How to Get to Sesame Street: The History and Future of Public Television
Despite touching lives beyond count, value of children's programming still needs spelled out
www.eriereader.com
August 1, 2025 at 9:57 PM
I wrote this in January. It’s deeply depressing to read it again today. #history #skystorians #PBS #publicTV