Abbey Shimer

The status of prohibition six months after repeal, NY Daily News, 5/20/1934.

#ScholarSunday Thread 253 (12/7/25) – Black and White and Read All Over Like Rudolph or Mariah, the #ScholarSunday powers grow ever stronger as December deepens. See for yourself with my 253rd thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthc...

Like Rudolph or Mariah, the #ScholarSunday powers grow ever stronger as December deepens. See for yourself with my 253rd thread of great public scholarly writing, podcast eps, new & forthcoming books from last week. Add more below, share widely, & enjoy, all! 🗃️

blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

Also moment to appreciate that back where my parents and sister live (NC) there are already cancellations and delays tomorrow because of winter weather and I somehow doubt there are going to be any delays for me over in flyover country. 😂

Photo of a parking lot covered in snow with snow actively falling

Seems like today maybe a good day for writing and grading ❄️

2025 Journal Article List A companion to our 2025 book list.

The second of our yearly lists--this one features thirty-five articles and chapters authored by contingent historians in 2025.

I’m sorry even as a Carolina fan this cracks me up 😂

Screen shot of Spotify says “your listening age 30. Since you were into music from the Early 2010s. Hits with a hint of nostalgia.

Happy attacked-by-Spotify-day to all those who observe…

2025 Contingent Book List When you’re shopping for books this season, consider a contingent scholar.

Our longest yearly book list ever! Thirty six books by contingent historians for you to read, gift, and request for purchase at your library!

Meeting with an editor at a conference * Identify likely publishers. They are ones who * have published in similar fields recently (in the last 5 years) * are attending the conference * Find the editor’s contact info (usually on the publisher’s website) * Email the editor a query letter * Introduce yourself * Describe your project briefly (1 paragraph) * Attach a book proposal if you have one * Ask if the editor is available to meet * Prepare for the meeting * It will be an informal 1/2 hour conversation * Be ready to describe your project without going deep into the weeds * Ask questions * Enjoy the conversation - this book may or may not be a good fit for that publisher, but treat this as professional networking because your next book might be

Hello historians 🗃️! Planning on attending #AHA26 and have book ideas in mind?

Now is a good time to start thinking about contacting editors to meet with in Chicago. It's fun, it's easy, and you'll be chatting with people who love to chat about books! 👇

#ScholarSunday Thread 252 (11/30/25) – Black and White and Read All Over I’m so thankful for the chance to compile & share #ScholarSunday threads of great public scholarly writing, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the past week. So let’s end the holiday weeke...

I’m so thankful for the chance to compile & share #ScholarSunday threads of great public scholarly writing, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books. So let’s end the holiday weekend with my 252nd! Add more below, share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️

blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

Officially registered for the first two conferences of 2026 (one like two hours before the deadline for early registration but at least I remembered 😅)

Publications by Non-Tenure-Track Historians Since we began publishing in 2019, Contingent has published end-of-year lists of books and articles by non-tenure-track historians released in the past calendar year. To submit something for inclusion...

Today's the last day to submit for our end-of-year publication lists. We're soliciting monographs, journal articles, and book chapters by contingent historians with a 2025 pub date! contingentmagazine.org/yearly-pub-l...

Brown and white dog, black, gray and white fluffy dog, and light brown and white puppy lying on a wood floor

Post thanksgiving weekend laziness

What makes historic collections difficult? And how do researchers work with “difficult” collections?

New CFP from Paper Trails here:

blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...

Deadline for proposals 31/1/2026
🗃️

For the What's History Feed 🗃️.

This is a fantastic opportunity for historians off the tenure track (including NTT, contingent, and independent scholars, archivists and librarians, museum workers and other public history folks) to spread the word about their publications.

✍🏽📚📄

WHA 2026 Digital Scholarship Lightning Round - Expression of Interest Please complete the form below. Someone from the Digital Scholarship Committee will contact you to confirm your acceptance to the lightning round. Contact Sean Fraga, sfraga@usc.edu, with questions.

Western historians: consider this CFP for the digital history lightning round at the 2026 WHA conference in Portland! Great format for discussing work in progress with a supportive audience. Happy to answer any questions. Respond by Wed., Dec. 3. #AmWest 🗃️

Bibliographies for the People – AHA Embracing alternative citation help the public better engage with trade history books.

In #AHAPerspectives today, @rhigarthjones.bsky.social and @profgabriele.com write about creative ways to approach citations and bibliography in trade books. 🗃️

Grading students’ video essays about the constitution and have School House Rock’s preamble song suck in my head. 🙃

Missed half a class because of a nasty fever (left after I gave a presentation) and a different class the next day … otherwise don’t think I missed any.

As a historian of the 18th c and an American, I've always known 2026 would be a critical moment. This doc is worth watching, and thinking through. Begins and ends w Indigenous contexts, conveys the horrors of a civil war wrought w racism + the ideals of liberty and equality we keep reaching for. 1/

People sitting at a table on a stage

Fascinating panel on the Midwest and regional studies at The Lost Region Recovery Project: A Conference on Midwestern Studies

… it’s me

A lot of details in here surprised me--cost of college edging lower, overall enrollment numbers holding steady. Definitely a case where the ambient conventional wisdom and the facts are pulling in opposite directions.

I feel this 😑

When my husband is on the farm and sees beautiful lights but I’m in the city and see … the great lights of Target…

I wrote “catch up on my late work” in my planner yesterday and now I have no idea what late work I meant. 🙃

Pot of chili and smaller pot of brown syrup on a (messy) stove

Followed by making some white chicken chili and brown sugar syrup (please ignore messy stove/someday I’ll learn to cook without making a huge mess) ☺️

Books thrown around a multicolor rug

Reorganizing books this lazy Saturday

“If I get though it first I’ll let you know how it is”

Concrete floor with a black and white kitten sitting on a pet bed

Scruffy black dog in a light blue hoodie with her front paws on a plaid couch

Farm update: new barn cat and Lou Lou got a hoodie