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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large

@inthepastlane.bsky.social
1.3K followers 357 following 691 posts

Historian, author, college prof, public speaker, podcaster. Seen on @History channel + @PBS. Founder of @WeemsyAwards. All my social media is @inthepastlane. More at www.EdwardTODonnell.com

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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 8m
Trump suggests Iran attack Los Angeles and San Diego #ushistory #presidents #FDR #LosAngeles #SanDiego
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 6h
At least a dozen graves of Milwaukee Indian boarding school students uncovered wausaupilotandreview.com/2026/10/04/a... #nativeamerican #ushistory
wausaupilotandreview.com
At least a dozen graves of Milwaukee Indian boarding school students uncovered - Wausau Pilot & Review
For generations, much of this history was nearly lost. Researchers have now identified 14 girls who died while attending a federally funded Indian boarding school in Milwaukee in the late 1800s — many...
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Reposted by Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large
Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 12h
New in PN: Trump faces his worst bankruptcy yet "Should November be the disaster for Rs that analysts predict, Trump will morph overnight into something less than a lame duck POTUS with a ticking expiration clock: he'll become politically bankrupt in ways all-too-familiar to him as a businessman."
publicnotice.co
Trump faces his worst bankruptcy yet
His political capital is gone and the repo man is on the way.
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Larry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Other than an aside on the "white nationalism that has emerged out of the dark corners of the internet," (which she she pairs with the "excesses of work") Slade makes no mention of the role of race in the construction of the modern conservative movement. www.nytimes.com/2026/10/05/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | With Trump Flailing, Some Conservatives Are Having Second Thoughts About Trumpism
What is the future of the conservative movement?
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Larry Glickman @larryglickman.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Ronald Reagan came to political prominence in CA with his opposition the Rumford Open Housing Act--"If an individual wants to discriminate against Negroes...it is his right to do so,"--opposed the Voting Rights Act, and called the Civil Rights Act "a bad piece of legislation."
"Reagan Walks out of Meet with Negroes"
Reagan said he agreed with the goals of the Civil Rights Act but said it "was a bad piece of legislation" and that he would not have voted for it had he been in Congress.
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 06/10/2026
i also read his op ed on originalism in the WSJ and i would love to know how presidential criminal immunity emerges from the structure of the constitution, especially when the literal authors of that constitution insisted that a president could he tried and even straight up executed
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Reposted by Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 07/10/2026
who knows if jackson can win this thing but i am glad that he is making clear that susan collins's whole scam is to do everything she can to make life worse for mainers and then take credit for mitigating it in the slightest way possible
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Katie Phang @katiephang.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
As the Trump DOJ hemorrhages qualified lawyers, Harmeet Dhillon, the head of the “Civil Rights” division, hires partisan hacks & incompetent lawyers who have been fired, rejected, or driven out of their prior positions. Why these hires put the entire country at risk: youtu.be/8G1PVefC5do?...
youtu.be
Trump DOJ SCRAMBLES As LAWYERS FLEE And Department COLLAPSES!!
YouTube video by Katie Phang
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
GOP Sen. Mike Lee today: Thank you, Daddy Trump!
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Trump falsely claims he’s the only US president to donate his salary #ushistory #presidents #JFK #herberthoover #whitehouse
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Cherokee Nation advocates for federal memorial in Tulsa's Greenwood District/Black Wall Street www.kosu.org/tulsa-greenw...
kosu.org
Cherokee Nation advocates for federal memorial in Tulsa's Greenwood District
Cherokee Nation is asking Congress to create a national monument dedicated to Tulsa’s Greenwood District, which would help preserve the history of the Tulsa Race Massacre.
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Carlisle Boarding School Disinterment Program returns remains of 11 Native American children to their families www.fox43.com/article/news...
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Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account) @thetattooedprof.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Fellow GenXers: remember how often we were bombarded with images of late-period USSR? Old, decrepit men in charge, clinging to an ossified ideology. Political repression, nakedly false propaganda, empty shelves, food shortages, inadequate health care, deep-seated cynicism, crumbling infrastructure
static.klipy.com
Ironic Star Wars Moment
Alt: A smirking emperor palpatine says "ironic."
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Converse ad for new sneaker line sparks controversy for evoking imagery of a dark chapter in US history #ushistory #blackhistory #converse #lebronjames
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John Fugelsang @johnfugelsang.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
"House Republicans will continue to hold Hunter Biden’s feet to the fire until we have his testimony...no one – not even the president’s son – is above the law.” - Tom Emmer, 1.17.24 "Don Jr is a private citizen and businessman so this unwarranted attack will go nowhere," Tom Emmer, 9.23.26
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Reposted by Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Has Mike Rogers disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Ken Paxton disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Mike Collins disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Jon Husted disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Susan Collins disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Ashley Moody disavowed Elon Musk yet? Has Ashley Hinson disavowed Elon Musk yet?
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Schrödinger's Sneetch Belly @rtodkelly.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Please know that this is one of my few legitimate areas of actual, high-level professional expertise: Kicking the healthiest people off of a health insurance program will bankrupt it. Not 'could;' not 'might,' not 'probably," but absolutely will, with mathematical certainty.
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paulpro @mariopro.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Trump speaks at the UN today His message: @tjeerdroyaards.com
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Tom “T.M.” Wolf @tomtmwolf.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
🗣️ NEXT TUESDAY Leading historians and @brennancenter.org attorneys will hop on Zoom to share thoughts on countering SCOTUS's misuses of history and charting out non-originalist ways to bring history to bear on con law. Join the crowd of 1,300+ by registering ➡️ www.brennancenter.org/events/readi...
brennancenter.org
Reading the Past: Historians and Lawyers in Dialogue
This practical conversation will explore originalism, historical evidence, and how lawyers and historians can work together in the courts.
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Sen Marsha Blackburn tries and fails to invoke the American Revolution to condemn Democrats #ushistory #MarshaBlackburn #americanrevolution #mccarthyism #paulrevere
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Dan Froomkin/Press Watch/Heads Up News @froomkin.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Sad excuse for journalism: Big profile of DOGE lord doesn’t say a word about all the damage he did. And it was not an “ill fated cost-cutting effort.” It was a malignant, catastrophic attack on the government and its workers by arrogant and ignorant assholes. www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
washingtonpost.com
He spent 11 months inside DOGE. Now he wants to set the record straight.
In his first major interview about his tell-all memoir, Tyler Hassen describes the culture clash surrounding DOGE’s mission and the backlash that followed.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Maybe Trump and Republicans can work out a compromise, count immigrants as three-fifths of a full person or something
nytimes.com
Trump’s Census Proposal to Exclude Some Immigrants Could Cut Seats From Red States
A Trump administration proposal to block some immigrants from the 2030 census could shift congressional seats away from Republican states, a New York Times analysis found.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
As an American political historian, I can confirm that this Congress has been "almost unmatched in history" in several categories -- sad abdication of its war powers, craven surrender of the power of the purse, weird refusal to conduct meaningful oversight, and an utter failure to pass actual laws.
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Joanne Freeman @jbf1755.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Anyone associated with trying to tear down the Center—workers included—should be held legally liable. Whether or not he’s immune—no one else is. Make it hard to “play along.” Make it hard for “yes men.” Add a price.
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John Light @johnalight.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Census Bureau tells staff not to talk publicly about its new rule, which would dramatically shift how the survey is conducted and redistribute political power from blue states to red ones.
talkingpointsmemo.com
Exclusive: Census Bureau Directs Staff to Keep Quiet During Comment Period for Controversial New Rule
Leadership at the Census Bureau has ordered staff to halt all external...
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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 18/09/2026
"Trump’s personal imposition of his taste is a different story than that of the administration’s overall totalitarian aesthetic, which can best be described perhaps as 'free tier AI image generator with the white supremacist dial turned to 11.'"
publicnotice.co
Totalitarian art
The Hitler comparisons are sometimes overdone. But not here.
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Brennan Center @brennancenter.org · 18/09/2026
The Constitution does not allow the president to choose who counts.
brennancenter.org
Excluding Immigrants from the Census Would Hurt the Country and Break the Law
The Constitution, federal law, and centuries of history make clear that the census is meant to count everyone, regardless of citizenship.
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Reposted by Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large
Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Florida has at least four Senators at the moment, which seems vaguely unconstitutional. www.npr.org/2026/06/13/n...
npr.org
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville faces a residency challenge to run for Alabama governor
Senator Tommy Tuberville is facing a residency challenge that could prevent him from running for governor of Alabama.
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Kevin Collins @kwcollins.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Who will show more commitment to, and solidarity in support of, First Amendment values: members of the White House Correspondents Association, or opening acts for Ed Sheeran?
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Hegseth celebrates the Confederacy and whitewashes the history of slavery at Arlington National Cemetery #USHistory #arlingtonnationalcemetery #hegseth #lostcause #confederatemonument
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Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account) @thetattooedprof.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
If you have to force students to enroll in your program/center's courses, that's not a class, it's a hostage situation.
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Jess Piper @piperformissouri.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
…
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 14/09/2026
this guy is one of the architects of a war that might rank as one of the worst strategic missteps in american military history and here is on CBS getting a softball interview about his feelings
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Roosevelt Institute @rooseveltinstitute.org · 14/09/2026
New: The federal income tax has 7 brackets today. That may seem normal, but it’s a historical anomaly. There were once 56 brackets, and there were 14 as recently as the 1980s. But, like it did much else, Reaganism broke our brackets. @samarthgupta.bsky.social has a new brief on how to fix them: 🧵
rooseveltinstitute.org
Reaganism Broke US Tax Brackets. It’s Time To Fix Them.
The US once had dozens of income tax brackets. Samarth Gupta argues that restoring more brackets at the top would better address today’s extreme income inequality, raise revenue, and give policymakers...
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
In case your Monday needed a little cheer - New historical marker honors Dayton as the birthplace of Cheez-It www.eagledayton.com/news/local/n...
eagledayton.com
New historical marker honors Dayton as the birthplace of Cheez-It
WHIO Radio’s Todd Hollst has been working on this effort since January 2024.
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Why Americans commemorate 9/11 but willfully forget 9/12+ #USHistory #911 #September11 #waronterror #foreverwars
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Will Bunch @willbunch.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
How is ICE making record arrests? I found the answer in Pa. coal country, where cops lured by a promise of federal $$$ have embraced ICE's 287(g) and are throwing up checkpoints, raiding job sites, arresting 100s, and terrorizing their communities My special report www.inquirer.com/opinion/penn...
inquirer.com
In Pa. coal country, local police join with ICE to bring arrests, fear | Will Bunch
Pa.'s Schuylkill County is the new face of Trump's mass deportation, as local cops lured by federal cash bust scores of migrants.
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James Hell Brooks @kleinman.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
For the past two years I've been tracking every bill proposed in state legislatures across the country to figure out what Republican plans for the future are. The answer, based on these 1,182 bills, is that they want to repeal the 20th Century heartlandsignal.com/2026/09/09/b...
heartlandsignal.com
Proof from the states: the right wing attempt to repeal the 20th century – Heartland Signal
Republicans are in Dallas this week making the case that the other side is the extreme one. We read the legislation they introduced in all 50 states and built a searchable record of what we found: 1,1...
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Remember when Joe Biden proposed canceling student debt and every single Republican accused him of "bribing voters"?
dailymail.com
Biden accused by GOP of 'bribing' voters with student loan forgiveness
The Biden administration unveiled its latest effort to forgive as much as $20,000 in debt for some borrowers on Monday after the Supreme Court struck down its original plan last year.
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Is it a big deal that the U.S. president is telling insane lies that he personally rushed to the site of 9/11 and heroically acted like a first responder himself? Sorta seems like it should be! Maybe?
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
The Sewer Socialists Were Pragmatic Class Warriors portside.org/2026-09-05/s...
portside.org
The Sewer Socialists Were Pragmatic Class Warriors
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was a Socialist Party stronghold for much of the first half of the twentieth century. Socialists there built a strong presence in the labor movement and city council and held the...
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jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 04/09/2026
"you don't have medicaid because trump wanted to build the arch" and "you don't have SNAP because he wanted to build a ballroom." make republicans have to sputter and say "well actually it is private donations"
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Will Stancil @whstancil.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Donald Trump is destroying the national capital to build Trump monuments. I wish liberal leaders would stop acting like it’s embarrassing to care. It’s an abomination, just like the war, the corruption, the racism.
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mtsw @mtsw.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
it's insane they do this bend-over-backwards "critics say it raises questions" shit when the actual law just says "its illegal to put living people on currency"
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
No one hates higher education more than the people who churn out the Chronicle of Higher Education @chronicle.com
chronicle.com
Opinion | The Humanities Can’t Ignore AI
Like it or not, we need to learn the tools and their limitations.
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Landmark Settlement Guarantees Native History Will Be Taught in Montana Schools nativenewsonline.net/education/la...
nativenewsonline.net
Landmark Settlement Guarantees Native History Will Be Taught in Montana Schools
Overview: A landmark settlement will strengthen enforcement of Montana’s Indian Education for All mandate, requiring K-12 schools to integrate Tribal history, culture and government across curricula w...
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Mike Johnson falsely claims his Congress is the “most productive” since 1949 #USHistory #MikeJohnson #donothingcongress #midterms #epsteinfiles
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Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
You know, the more you read this simple sentence, the crazier it gets. Seems like a pretty big deal? Maybe?
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Remains of 12 children who died at Carlisle Indian School to be returned to their tribes penncapital-star.com/history/rema...
penncapital-star.com
Remains of 12 children who died at Carlisle Indian School to be returned to their tribes • Pennsylvania Capital-Star
The remains of 12 Native American and Alaskan Native children who died while attending Carlisle Indian Industrial School will be returned to their tribes following their disinterment.
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Edward T. O'Donnell, Historian-at-Large @inthepastlane.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
How “History” Became Central at the Supreme Court - Originalists and historians use the past to accomplish very different tasks www.historynewsnetwork.org/article/how-...
historynewsnetwork.org
How “History” Became Central at the Supreme Court
Originalists and historians use the past to accomplish very different tasks.
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