W. Caleb McDaniel
@wcaleb.org
Professor of History at Rice University and author of "Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America" (Pulitzer Prize, 2020).
Cross-posting from https://updates.wcaleb.org
Cross-posting from https://updates.wcaleb.org
Pinned
Alex Byrd and I will be signing and speaking about our new book, Slavery, Segregation, and the Second Founding of Rice University, at several events this spring:
On January 19 at 6:30 p.m., we will be at Brazos Bookstore in conversa... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2026/01/05/alex-byrd-and-i-will.html
On January 19 at 6:30 p.m., we will be at Brazos Bookstore in conversa... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2026/01/05/alex-byrd-and-i-will.html
January 5, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Alex Byrd and I will be signing and speaking about our new book, Slavery, Segregation, and the Second Founding of Rice University, at several events this spring:
On January 19 at 6:30 p.m., we will be at Brazos Bookstore in conversa... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2026/01/05/alex-byrd-and-i-will.html
On January 19 at 6:30 p.m., we will be at Brazos Bookstore in conversa... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2026/01/05/alex-byrd-and-i-will.html
I recently learned that linking directly to an academic journal article in a database like Project Muse is better for the journal than, say, downloading the PDF and putting it an LMS for students. On my syllabi this semester, I’m going to do more linking.
January 5, 2026 at 10:04 PM
I recently learned that linking directly to an academic journal article in a database like Project Muse is better for the journal than, say, downloading the PDF and putting it an LMS for students. On my syllabi this semester, I’m going to do more linking.
I started the new year with some updating of my CV for a required annual report, a task made easier by having some new public domain films on in the background as I worked.
January 1, 2026 at 10:02 PM
I started the new year with some updating of my CV for a required annual report, a task made easier by having some new public domain films on in the background as I worked.
In an effort to clear up space on my phone, I’m trying to use imessage-exporter to backup my old chats. Running the script with the diagnostic flag shows I have 143,099 messages in my iMessage database. Egads!
December 29, 2025 at 4:54 PM
In an effort to clear up space on my phone, I’m trying to use imessage-exporter to backup my old chats. Running the script with the diagnostic flag shows I have 143,099 messages in my iMessage database. Egads!
A “time of gifts” indeed! Or a gift of tomes?
December 28, 2025 at 3:23 PM
A “time of gifts” indeed! Or a gift of tomes?
I think I read somewhere that he was just a local, an extra. He did not throw away his shot.
December 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I think I read somewhere that he was just a local, an extra. He did not throw away his shot.
Grades are in, so now there is only one committee meeting standing between me and the end of the semester. Whew!
December 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Grades are in, so now there is only one committee meeting standing between me and the end of the semester. Whew!
As part of its America 250 programming, the Woodson Research Center at Rice has put together an exhibit of campaign materials, including this plea from Barbara Jordan in her first bid for elected office.
December 19, 2025 at 5:43 PM
As part of its America 250 programming, the Woodson Research Center at Rice has put together an exhibit of campaign materials, including this plea from Barbara Jordan in her first bid for elected office.
Tracey Rhoades has a nice write-up about our book Slavery, Segregation, and the Second Founding of Rice University in the winter issue of Rice Magazine.
December 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Tracey Rhoades has a nice write-up about our book Slavery, Segregation, and the Second Founding of Rice University in the winter issue of Rice Magazine.
Today in the offices of the Journal of Southern History, we had a cake to honor Randal Hall as he concludes his twelve years as Editor. I certainly have some big shoes to fill!
December 17, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Today in the offices of the Journal of Southern History, we had a cake to honor Randal Hall as he concludes his twelve years as Editor. I certainly have some big shoes to fill!
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: Refugeed Slaves, Refugees to Texas.
December 11, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: Refugeed Slaves, Refugees to Texas.
Two Upcoming Articles: https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/11/two-upcoming-articles.html
December 11, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Two Upcoming Articles: https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/11/two-upcoming-articles.html
Rice News has a story about my new role as editor of the Journal of Southern History (as of January 1). Here’s a snippet:
"McDaniel, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities, said he sees the editorship as an extension of Rice’... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/09/rice-news-has-a-story.html
"McDaniel, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities, said he sees the editorship as an extension of Rice’... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/09/rice-news-has-a-story.html
December 9, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Rice News has a story about my new role as editor of the Journal of Southern History (as of January 1). Here’s a snippet:
"McDaniel, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities, said he sees the editorship as an extension of Rice’... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/09/rice-news-has-a-story.html
"McDaniel, the Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities, said he sees the editorship as an extension of Rice’... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/12/09/rice-news-has-a-story.html
I don’t know about the title though, because it looks like she’s saying it’s exactly midnight.
December 7, 2025 at 12:40 PM
I don’t know about the title though, because it looks like she’s saying it’s exactly midnight.
There’s a burn ban in effect at our campsite, so my teenager improvised.
November 26, 2025 at 1:32 AM
There’s a burn ban in effect at our campsite, so my teenager improvised.
I’m looking forward to being a keynote lecturer at the HHL Student Research Conference at UH-Downtown on December 1. My working title, with apologies to Sam Wineburg, is “AI (Archival Investigation) in an Age of Artificial Intelligence; or, Why Study History When There’s a Chatbot on your Phone.”
November 22, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I’m looking forward to being a keynote lecturer at the HHL Student Research Conference at UH-Downtown on December 1. My working title, with apologies to Sam Wineburg, is “AI (Archival Investigation) in an Age of Artificial Intelligence; or, Why Study History When There’s a Chatbot on your Phone.”
My dog seems especially interested in the lyrics to James Taylor’s “The Walking Man.”
November 22, 2025 at 2:08 AM
My dog seems especially interested in the lyrics to James Taylor’s “The Walking Man.”
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: J. H. Townsend.
November 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: J. H. Townsend.
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: Elias Dibble, Richard Brock.
November 18, 2025 at 10:20 PM
Updated some notes in my open research notebook: Elias Dibble, Richard Brock.
And here’s another interesting find from the New Orleans Advocate about another Emancipation Park founder, Richard Brock: an information wanted ad, apparently seeking news about family members.
"Information wanted of H... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/11/17/and-heres-another-interesting-find.html
"Information wanted of H... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/11/17/and-heres-another-interesting-find.html
November 18, 2025 at 3:02 AM
And here’s another interesting find from the New Orleans Advocate about another Emancipation Park founder, Richard Brock: an information wanted ad, apparently seeking news about family members.
"Information wanted of H... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/11/17/and-heres-another-interesting-find.html
"Information wanted of H... https://updates.wcaleb.org/2025/11/17/and-heres-another-interesting-find.html
Well this is pretty cool: a sermon delivered by Rev. Elias Dibble. Born enslaved, Dibble ministered to Houston’s first independent Black Methodist church and is remembered as one of the founders of Emancipation Park. His sermon appeared in the New Orleans Advocate on March 3, 1866. (Hat tip.)
November 17, 2025 at 11:07 PM
One of the pieces of software I use most often as a historian is the simple command-line Unix program cal. It’s short for “calendar.” So if, for example, I want to say what day of the week June 19, 1866, was on, I just type cal jun 1866 at the command line, and I get the calendar for that month.
November 17, 2025 at 2:21 PM
One of the pieces of software I use most often as a historian is the simple command-line Unix program cal. It’s short for “calendar.” So if, for example, I want to say what day of the week June 19, 1866, was on, I just type cal jun 1866 at the command line, and I get the calendar for that month.