Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · 12d

Headed to Atlanta for ASALH. Hoping to see you there!

Plenary on the Legacy and scholarship of Joe William Trotter, Jr.

Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · 15d

Congratulations to Tressie McMillan Cottom (NHC Fellow, 2025–26), recipient of the 2025 Thomas Wolfe Prize.

As this year’s recipient, Cottom will deliver the annual Thomas Wolfe Lecture on September 30 at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Tressie McMillan Cottom @tressiemcphd.bsky.social · Aug 23

A tiny announcement about this year’s Thomas Wolfe prize.

englishcomplit.unc.edu/program/wolfe/

Sep. 30.

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Sep 5

Did you know 1,783 books have resulted from NHC fellowships?

Over the past five decades, the Center has been privileged to support the work of some of the world’s leading humanists, and to enlist their expertise on behalf of its programs for educators and public #humanities work.

The John P. Birkelund Lounge at the National Humanities Center.

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Aug 30

We stand with the Smithsonian.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Aug 29

The National Humanities Center stands firmly in support of the Smithsonian Institution, its administration, and its museum professionals. Please read the complete statement on our website.

Statement in Support of the Smithsonian Institution | National Humanities Center

The National Humanities Center stands firmly in support of the Smithsonian Institution, its administration, and its museum professionals. The Smithsonian must be allowed to fulfill its mission without...

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Aug 22

I think so...

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Aug 21

When folks at CBS clap back at each other about the role of slavery in history... youtu.be/xkPYmz3dMBA?... got to love it...

Reporter's Notebook: American exceptionalism and confronting slavery's horrors

YouTube video by CBS Evening News

youtu.be

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Aug 14

An interesting take on AI and the value of interdisciplinary collaborative thinking that also mightily fails to consider where the information inside the bot is coming from/what prompting the bot is doing to our environment.

What It’s Like to Brainstorm with a Bot www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...

What It’s Like to Brainstorm with a Bot

At the frontiers of knowledge, researchers are discovering that A.I. doesn’t just take prompts—it gives them, too, sparking new forms of creativity and collaboration.

www.newyorker.com

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Jul 22

The National Humanities Center welcomes fellowship applications from faculty engaged in advanced #humanities research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Help us spread the word about this exciting opportunity.

Opportunities for Scholars from HBCUs | National Humanities Center

The NHC welcomes fellowship applications from scholars engaged in advanced humanities research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Jul 24

The National Humanities Center welcomes fellowship applications from scholars engaged in the study of China in the Ming dynasty or of regions and periods connected to the Ming dynasty. Applications are due October 2, 2025. #AsianStudies cc: @asianstudies.org

Opportunities for Scholars Studying Ming Dynasty China and Its World | National Humanities Center

The NHC welcomes fellowship applications from scholars engaged in the study of China and its world, during and adjacent to the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Jul 22

ChatGPT psychosis is real. Philosopher Krista Thomason (NHC Fellow, 2021–22) explores how our emotional needs can lead to psychological distress when interacting with AI.

Krista K. Thomason @kkthomason.bsky.social · Jul 18

I'm glad to see that OpenAI is taking my advice to be more attentive to the way our emotions interact with ChatGPT (at least I hope so?)
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/danc...

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

Black Girl Nerds @blackgirlnerds.bsky.social · Jul 14

Black women face a particularly daunting reality. They are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer at younger ages compared to their white counterparts

Rising Breast Cancer Rates in Young Black Women | Black Girl Nerds

We can do our part to mitigate the impact of breast cancer on younger women and work toward closing the gap in health disparities.

blackgirlnerds.com

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jul 14

No paywall. www.startribune.com/minnesota-st...

Driver made Black passengers sit in back of Jefferson Lines bus, state investigation finds

The driver told two Black passengers he would call law enforcement if they didn’t move to the back for a ride from Fargo to Crookston, Minn.

www.startribune.com

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jul 14

Wow. More than a century after the fight I chronicled in Right to Ride, when Black passengers challenged segregation on trains and boycotted segregated streetcars, Black passengers are now being told to move to the back of the bus? And threatened with arrest if they don't? #StudyingSegregation

Liette Gidlow @profgidlow.bsky.social · Jul 10

Worried yet?

This is what time it is: Jim Crow-o-clock. www.startribune.com/minnesota-st...

To see how this lines up with the century+ long struggle over desegregating transportation, consider reading @profblmkelley.bsky.social's Right to Ride or Prof. Mia Bay's Traveling Black. 🗃️

Driver made Black passengers sit in back of Jefferson Lines bus, state investigation finds

The driver told two Black passengers he would call law enforcement if they didn’t move to the back for a ride from Fargo to Crookston, Minn.

www.startribune.com

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jul 3

Thank you so much sis!

ProfKori @profkori.bsky.social · Jul 2

... Knowing that era well, I know that Black and Brown folk never stopped achieving. We're doing the same today, and @profblmkelley.bsky.social is a beautiful example!!!

Rock on, doc! We love to see it!

nationalhumanitiescenter.org/national-hum...

National Humanities Center Announces Dr. Blair LM Kelley as New President

After a nationwide search, the National Humanities Center is pleased to announce the selection of historian Blair LM Kelley as its next president and director. Dr. Kelley's appointment marks a pivotal...

nationalhumanitiescenter.org

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jul 2

Thank you so much!

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jul 1

Thank you!!!

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 27

Thank you!

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 26

Thank you!

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 26

Ha!!!! I was thinking about that yesterday John!!! Thank you!

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 26

Big news! I'm heading to the National Humanities Center as the next president. I'm proud to be the first woman, the first Black person, and the first person of color to lead it. Honored to start this new chapter. #Humanities #BlackWomenLead #BlackSky

National Humanities Center @natlhumanities.bsky.social · Jun 26

The National Humanities Center is pleased to announce historian Dr. Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley.bsky.social) has been selected as its next president and director.

National Humanities Center Announces Dr. Blair LM Kelley as New President

After a nationwide search, the National Humanities Center is pleased to announce the selection of historian Blair LM Kelley as its next president and director. Dr. Kelley's appointment marks a pivotal...

bit.ly

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 26

Thank you!

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

David Roberts @volts.wtf · Jun 25

An awesome story about how solar microgrids kept the power on during Puerto Rico's latest blackouts.

This is bottom-up, power-to-the-people shit. Get excited!

Could Microgrids Be Puerto Rico's Answer to Endless Blackouts?

Meanwhile, feds redirect $365 million away from solar toward grid fixes

spectrum.ieee.org

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Reposted by Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.

Carl T. Bergstrom @carlbergstrom.com · Jun 25

A few months ago, Nature published how-to guide for using ChatGPT to write your peer reviews in 30 minutes.

This is, of course, a horrible idea. Here’s my response with @jbakcoleman.bsky.social .

AI, peer review and the human activity of science

When researchers cede their scientific judgement to machines, we lose something important.

www.nature.com

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 23

Add this to your must reads... For Black Women, Life in America Has Always Been a Crossroads www.nytimes.com/2025/06/21/b...

For Black Women, Life in America Has Always Been a Crossroads

www.nytimes.com

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Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D. @profblmkelley.bsky.social · Jun 22

It's so much.

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