Over at Black Perspectives, historian Adam Lee Cilli introduces us to “Migrant Voices,” a website collecting oral history interviews of African Americans who migrated from the rural South to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania between 1915 and 1930. It is an amazing resource. […]
Way of Improvement
Birkin bags and Ferraris: Elizabeth Stice rethinks our efforts to sell the liberal arts
Here is historian and Current writer Elizabeth Stice at The Front Porth Republic: If we believe that the liberal arts are great, we should act like it. A first step would be to stop trying to sell them as if […]
George Conway: “The New York case cuts to the core of who Trump is”
GOP lawyer George Conway thought Trump’s New York City hush money trial was a distraction. He has changed his mind. Here is a taste of his piece today at The Atlantic: The truth is, I’ve come around to the view […]
The Wide Awakes
Over at The Washington Post, Jon Grinspan, curator of political history at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, introduces us to a group of “torchlit young marchers” who “helped save American democracy” during the Civil War era. Here is […]
Song of the Day
Frank Sinatra makes his 1973 comeback and Paul Anka delivers with this:
Why I love baseball!
Alternative title of this post: “Why I am having a hard time concentrating on my work this morning.” The New York Mets lost the first two games of a weekend series against the Atlanta Braves. On Saturday night, in game […]
What is “progressive capitalism”?
Nobel prize-winning Columbia University economist Joseph Stiglitz lays it out in today’s Washington Post. Here is a taste: Champions of the neoliberal order, moreover, too often fail to recognize that one person’s freedom is another’s unfreedom — or, as Isaiah […]
Donald Trump’s Wildwood, New Jersey rally was characterized by vulgarity, personal attacks, and even a pro-Hannibal Lecter reference. His evangelical supporters are silent.
My Italian grandparents spent a week or two in Wildwood, New Jersey for decades. They drove three hours down the Garden State Parkway to this honky-tonk shore town because they enjoyed sitting on the beach, walking the boardwalk, and spending […]
Evangelical roundup for May 13, 2024
What is happening in Evangelical Land? French evangelicals respond to Macron’s proposed euthanasia law. Roger Olsen addresses the Mark Driscoll-male stripper-Jezebel-men’s conference affair. World Vision is responding to the Brazilian flooding: The Spanish evangelical party seeks a seat in the […]
Sunday night odds and ends
A few things online that caught my attention this week: Left burnout Pamela Paul on Glenn Loury. John McMillan on Loury here. What is “diversity”? Dad jokes “Democracy Refreshed“ A “post-religious right?” “…too educated to return to his life as […]
At Liberty, even the most sacred moments in the university calendar are used to own the libs and advance its mission.
Liberty University held its commencement address yesterday. South Carolina Senator and former presidential candidate Tim Scott was the speaker. The Standing for Freedom Center, which serves as the office that advances Liberty’s culture war activities, posted this on X: Earlier […]
Should liberals “punch left”?
Here is a taste of Jonathan Chait’s review of Astra Taylor and Leah Hunt-Hendrix’s Solidarity. The review is titled, “In Defense of Punching Left.” “The role of protest is another division between liberals and leftists. While both see protest as […]
What Michael Smerconish would have said at Dickinson College
The radio and television host pundit posted what he would have said next Sunday at Dickinson’s graduation ceremony. As you may recall, Dickinson canceled his speech. Get up to speed here. Here is a taste of Smerconish’s speech: First, congratulations. […]
What is trending this week at CURRENT?
Here are the most popular features of the week at Current:‘ Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Way of Improvement Leads Home blog: Here are the most popular posts of the last week at The Arena blog:
What is going on at Grace College?
In June 20, 2017, Grace College and Theological Seminary in Winona Lake, Indiana fired three white employees after they posed for a racially insensitive mock rap album cover. The photo of the “album cover” was posted on Facebook. Read more […]
Evangelical Roundup for May 9, 2024
What is happening in Evangelical land? A Billy Graham statue at the U.S. Capitol. Evangelicals support Dreamers! The National Association of Evangelicals support more humanitarian aid to Gaza: Evangelicals hate Stormy, but love Trump Connections between the Christian Right and […]
Drew Gilpin Faust on commencement speeches
Historian and former Harvard professor Drew Gilpin Faust (check out our podcast interview with her here) has a piece on commencement speeches at The Atlantic. I love the subtitle: “Where everything and nothing is at stake.” Here is a taste: […]
What is going on at Dickinson College?
Michael Smerconish, a political independent who promotes civility and democratic discourse on his Sirius XM radio show and CNN television program, will no longer deliver the 2024 commencement address at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Here is Penn Live: Dickinson […]
2024 Pulitzer Prize-winners announced
Here are few of the winners that caught my eye: HISTORY (Winner): Jacqueline Jones, No Right to an Honest Living: The Struggles of Boston’s Black Workers in the Civil War Era. See our Author’s Corner interview with Jacqueline Jones here. […]
I’ll be back next week!
My daughter is getting married this week. See you next Tuesday.