William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 16/01/2026Applications are open for "Under the Big Sky: The Montana Writers Retreat," June 12-15, 2026 sponsored by the College of Letters and Science, Montana State University. At the B Bar Ranch in Emigrant. For history and nonfiction writers. Apply here: www.montana.edu/lettersandsc... 000
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIILaura Ansley @lmansley.bsky.social · 09/01/2026And we're extra lucky that there will be another workshop for writers tomorrow at 1:30pm: the Nonfiction Trade Book Proposal Workshop, chaired by @lollardfish.bsky.social. #AHA26 🗃️aha.confex.com139th Annual Meeting (January 8-11, 2026): Nonfiction Trade Book Proposal Workshop 1144
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIHolly Brewer @earlymodjustice.bsky.social · 30/12/2025“This article urges a fresh view on [AI large language model] hallucinations by arguing that, rather than being errors in any conventional sense, they are evidence of a probabilistic system incapable of dealing with questions of knowledge.”read.dukeupress.eduRethinking Error: “Hallucinations” and Epistemological Indifference | Critical AI | Duke University Press 48031
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 27/12/2025"Under the Big Sky: The Montana Writers Retreat" June 12-15, 2026 at B Bar Ranch Historians and nonfiction writers! Join us for a retreat will offer you space to think deeply, gain insight from colleagues and facilitators, and move your writing project forward. www.montana.edu/lettersandsc...montana.eduWriters Retreat - College of Letters & Science | Montana State University 020
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIILaura Ansley @lmansley.bsky.social · 22/12/2025My colleagues have been working on this since June, so it’s a big day to see it finally finished and filed. And just thrilled that 17 other scholarly orgs joined. 0246
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 23/12/2025"Under the Big Sky: The Montana Writers Retreat" June 12-15, 2026 at B Bar Ranch Sponsored by the College of Letters and Science, Montana State University. Open to all nonfiction and history writers. Join us and apply: www.montana.edu/lettersandsc... 022
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 16/09/2025The American Historical Association promotes the critical role of historical thinking in public life, defends academic freedom, develops professional standards, and supports scholarship and teaching. Learn about our recent advocacy actions on our website. 🗃️historians.orgAHA Advocacy | American Historical AssociationThe American Historical Association is unique among history organizations with the breadth and depth of our advocacy efforts. 0204
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 08/09/2025We are pleased to announce a search for The Wallace Stegner Chair of Western American Studies in the Department of History at Montana State University-Bozeman. This is an exciting moment at MSU. Join us. jobs.montana.edu/postings/48151jobs.montana.eduAssociate or Full Professor of History and The Wallace Stegner Chair of Western American StudiesThe Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track position at the level of Associate or Full Professor with expertise in the history of the N... 011
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/202510.) Rather than prompt our historical imagination about the full record of American history and its drama, the Founders Museum presents viewers with what we might call looking glass history--flattened, narcissistic, and ultimately uninteresting. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20259.) I think historians are excited to celebrate and commemorate the 250th and we need creative approaches to history and storytelling, including animation and film, and possibly AI. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20258.) The founders of the United States included enslaved people who formed and shaped the nation too. Men and women like the Bell family who among many other actions they took before, during, and after the Rev. attempted to hold the nation accountable to its ideals. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20257.) The idea that Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carrol of Carrolton, the Lees would say nothing about slavery or use the term is preposterous. Their own writings made constant reference to slavery and enslaved people. 120
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20256.) The Founders Museum videos are like a parlor trick. They use AI to have the founders ventriloquize today’s political viewpoints. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20255.) AI can be used to fabricate history, unmooring history from the evidence, the original sources historians use to write history. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20254.) So AI is powerful. But it’s also dangerous. I feel like we’re playing with fire. One of the biggest dangers is to lose track of attribution—clearly and definitively marking what is being quoted and what is the source for a narrative. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20253.) We used AI in the making of our Animating History film, The Bell Affair, about an enslaved family in Washington, DC, who sue for their freedom -- we automated the rotoscoping of hundreds of thousands of individual frames. Nearly impossible to do by hand. animatinghistory.unl.eduanimatinghistory.unl.eduAnimating History 220
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20252.) AI is an exceedingly powerful accelerant. It can automate historical research previously nearly impossible to do in a lifetime. see examples of historians using AI to make millions of handwritten index cards, such as medical or legal records, machine readable in a matter of minutes. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/20251.) AI makes it possible to dive into the entire corpus of human knowledge and return to the surface with a useful result. This will change the way historians work. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 05/09/2025I'll add my thoughts and comments for the record here too! 110
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIJames Neal @james3neal.bsky.social · 03/09/2025"Black Patriots and Black Loyalists of the American Revolution exhibit" #America250 #VA250 va250.org/event-detail... 044
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 22/08/2025The #AHR is seeking proposals for a special issue on methodological approaches to archival silences in early history. Visit our website to read the full call for proposals and learn more about the guidelines for submission. Proposals are due September 16. historians.orgSpecial Issue Submissions - AHANatural light and processed MSI images of the HMML Palimpsest Project Methods for Archival Silence in Early History The American Historical Review seeks proposals for a special issue illustrating a ra... 01811
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 24/08/2025We always knew you would! Welcome to the sub sub librarians! 120
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 19/08/2025Two of my favorite people! Wish I could be there Corey and Marcus! 010
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIMarcus Rediker @marcusrediker.bsky.social · 19/08/2025For anyone teaching the slave trade and slavery this fall: check out my documentary film, *Ghosts of Amistad*, about the memory of the 1839 uprising in contemporary Sierra Leone, w/ French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish subtitles. Study guides for teachers and students too. www.ghostsofamistad.comghostsofamistad.comGhosts of Amistad: In the Footsteps of the Rebels[siteorigin_widget class=WP_Widget_Media_Video][/siteorigin_widget] Ghosts of Amistad chronicles a trip to Sierra Leone to visit the home villages of the people who seized the slave schooner Amistad... 0175
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 19/08/2025We are really proud of EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW. Thank you to the awesome team at Nebraska, our Mellon graduate fellows, contributors, and our students and advisory council members. Check it out at: teachinglegalhistory.unl.eduteachinglegalhistory.unl.eduHome 000
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 19/08/2025The collection features not only well-known cases like Scott v. Sandford but also and mainly hundreds of previously unpublished cases. These are stories of how ordinary Americans used the law. teachinglegalhistory.unl.edu 100
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 19/08/2025Our team has been working on a major Open Education Resource (OER) about U.S. legal history for teaching and learning. If you are teaching U.S. legal history, we hope that EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW will help you and your students. Check out our initial launch site at: teachinglegalhistory.unl.eduteachinglegalhistory.unl.eduHome 111
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 19/08/2025Congratulations to AHA members Merle Eisenberg, James Illingworth, James P. McClure, Christopher F. Minty, Michael L. Satlow, and Jennifer Stertzer, as well as all the other historians who were awarded grants by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) for humanities projects in 2025. 🗃️neh.govNEH Announces $34.79 Million for 97 Humanities Projects 0204
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 29/07/2025When your team brings fresh huckleberries to the office, there’s only one thing to do! Montana State, Bobcats, Montana! 020
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIKing Algamemnon @adamrothman.bsky.social · 24/07/2025Erasing history by defunding #archives www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/...washingtonpost.com60-year-old Black history archive faces uncertain future after federal cutsThe Amistad Research Center, one of largest repositories of Black history, cut half its staff after the Trump administration ended four federal grants. 11924
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 23/07/2025We have a terrific opening. Please repost! Join our team at the College of Letters and Science at Montana State University in Bozeman. careers.insidehighered.com/job/3374448/...careers.insidehighered.comAssistant Dean for Student Success and Outreach - Bozeman, Montana job with Montana State University | 3374448The College of Letters & Science at Montana State University is seeking a dedicated and collaborative leader to serve as the Assistant Dean for Stu... 022
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 17/07/2025Very nice! Looking forward to this and congratulations! 110
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 11/07/2025The #AHR is seeking proposals for a special issue on methodological approaches to archival silences in early history. Visit our website to read the full call for proposals and learn more about the guidelines for submission. Proposals are due September 16. 🗃️historians.orgSpecial Issue Submissions - AHANatural light and processed MSI images of the HMML Palimpsest Project Methods for Archival Silence in Early History The American Historical Review seeks proposals for a special issue illustrating a ra... 0189
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIScience Magazine @science.org · 10/07/2025The Senate appropriations committee has voiced its intent to ignore the request by President Donald Trump to slash the budgets of the National Science Foundation and NASA science programs. scim.ag/4nW7XWiscim.agSenate spending panel would rescue NSF and NASA science fundingIts support for a flat budget is a sign of congressional resistance to drastic cuts Trump has proposed 4314106
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 09/07/2025Join Montana State University's College of Letters and Science! We are seeking a new assistant dean to advance and support the college's mission in undergraduate student success, recruitment, and retention. The full position description and posting are linked here: jobs.montana.edu/postings/47389jobs.montana.eduAssistant Dean for Student Success and OutreachThe College of Letters & Science is searching for a highly motivated and experienced leader to spearhead recruitment and retention efforts for the College via increased visibility, increased enrollmen... 000
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 26/06/2025Thank you so much for this Karin. With you. 110
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 20/06/2025Happy birthday to our special one today! 24!! 040
William G. Thomas III @wgthomas3.bsky.social · 20/06/2025Six years since my Juneteenth 2019 tour through southern Maryland with Letitia Clark and Guilford Queen, descendants of the families who sued for freedom from slavery in the 1790s. 030
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 03/06/2025The AHA is pleased to announce this year's #AHAPerspectives summer columnists! Congratulations to Mary F. Casey (Univ. of California, Riverside), Alisa Kuzmina (Univ. of Minnesota), and Cecilia Slane (Univ. of Oklahoma), who will each write two columns. Learn about them and their upcoming work: 🗃️historians.orgMeet the 2025 Perspectives Daily Summer Columnists – AHAIntroducing the three graduate students who will write about teaching history writing as a former playwright, researching international marriages in a time of immigration uncertainty, and engaging wit... 092
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 03/06/2025Consultants, software developers, fundraisers, soldiers, human rights commissioners—read how history graduates say their degrees helped them in a variety of careers. www.historians.org/teaching-lea...historians.orgIn Their Own Words: Testimonials from History Majors | American Historical AssociationThe history major provides both a stepping stone towards dynamic careers in many industries and preparation for ongoing contribution to civic life. 095
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIGautham Rao (pronounced: Knicks in 5) @gauthamrao.bsky.social · 02/06/2025The American Society for Legal History runs a program to help scholars navigate the dissertation-to-book process. This year's group will be led by the brilliant Prof. Chris Schmidt of Chicago-Kent Law. A fantastic opportunity! To apply: aslh.net/award/wallac...aslh.netWallace Johnson First Book Program | American Society for Legal HistoryThe biennial Wallace Johnson Program for First Book Authors provides advice and support to scholars working toward the publication of first books in legal history, broadly defined. In conversation wit... 075
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIINicholas Guyatt @nicholasguyatt.bsky.social · 29/05/2025A tiny but wild snapshot of the current chaos 622450849
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIMontana Free Press @montanafreepress.org · 28/05/2025The new hire is possible through support from Report for America and CatchLight.montanafreepress.orgMontana Free Press bringing on photographerThe new hire is possible through support from Report for America and CatchLight, a San Francisco-based visual media organization that specializes in accessible image-based reporting. 1304
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIKarin Wulf @kawulf.bsky.social · 22/05/2025"Academic freedom-the ability to pursue the truth wherever it might lead, and to make publicly available what one believes is true ...[is] not the arcane privilege of an... intellectual guild, but a prerogative essential to the functioning of our Republic and the education of its citizenry." 💯 04214
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 22/05/2025The AHA encourages members to contact their senators today through the Coalition for International Education & @humanitiesall.bsky.social's action alert, & urge them to sign on to Sen. Schatz's letter supporting robust funding for international education & foreign language infrastructure in FY26. 🗃️p2a.coTake Action for International Education!I just took action to increase funding for Title VI and Fulbright-Hays! Join me and take action here. 06121
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIChanda Prescod-Weinstein 🌌 @chanda.blacksky.app · 22/05/2025NSF Physics was cut by 85%, basically wiping out most of its capacity for supporting research. NSF Astronomy was cut by 53% Undergrad education was cut by 71% and research on learning by 79% Graduate education was cut by 100% to ZERO. #GiftLink ⚛️🔭 www.nytimes.com/interactive/...nytimes.comTrump Has Cut Science Funding to Its Lowest Level in Decades (Gift Article)The lag in funding extends far beyond D.E.I. initiatives, affecting almost every area of science: chemistry, computing, engineering, materials and more. 381161803
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIAmerican Historical Association @historians.org · 19/05/2025From #AHAPerspectives in 2024: As a new department chair presiding over end of year celebrations, @bryanbanksphd.bsky.social “felt compelled to draw together the reasons we were in that room and in that community.” 🗃️historians.orgGuardians of the Tapestry of Time – AHAAs the academic year ends, one history department chair reflects on the work of history. 093
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIFlatwater Free Press @flatwaterfreep.bsky.social · 19/05/2025Decades after the release of his first feature film, Alexander Payne is preparing for a career first: a sequel. The Oscar-winning filmmaker from Omaha is in the early stages of a follow-up to his acclaimed 1999 comedy “Election.” It promises to be “a very, very Omaha movie.” 🔗 buff.ly/BL7UL3S 171
Reposted by William G. Thomas IIIJack Schneider @jackschneider.bsky.social · 19/05/2025Last summer, a team from @historians.org issued a report on the teaching of history in U.S. K-12 schools. We asked them to write an essay-length version of that report for History of Education Quarterly. And then we invited four leading scholars to comment. In this thread, I'll post links to all. 54822