Martha S. Jones

Martha S. Jones (2013 ACLS Fellow) and Kate Masur (2020 Charles A. Ryskamp Research Fellow) have submitted a historians’ amicus brief in Trump v. Barbara.

Learn more about scholars working to increase public understanding and inform policymakers on birthright citizenship: bit.ly/4pz9XEk

Amicus briefs aren't just court filings. The best are compact and compelling reads from leading scholars on the biggest issues of the day... and they're FREE!

All of which is to say, check out the latest from @marthasjones.bsky.social and @katemasur.bsky.social on birthright citizenship ⬇️...

'The City That Reads': The power of libraries & literacy in Baltimore Guest host Dr. Carla Hayden, ex-Librarian of Congress and former CEO of Baltimore's Enoch Pratt Library, explores Black history books, talks with the Pratt's current CEO and meets members of a youth l...

Honored to have marked the end of Black History Month with The Dr. Carla Hayden to talk about Baltimore as the city that reads on WYPR’s Midday.
www.wypr.org/show/midday/...

Historians’ Amicus Brief in Trump v. Barbara Two historians and professors of legal history represented by Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP have filed a brief supporting a challenge to President Trump’s executive order purporting to end birthright citi...

« The historians’ brief — authored by Professor Martha S. Jones and Professor Kate Masur — centers on the pre–Civil War advocacy of free Black Americans for a broad and inclusive principle of birthright citizenship. » www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Another excellent brief.

3/Also, I want to celebrate an Black American tradition of the Big Tent, and the Rainbow Coalition: that is at key moments when civil rights were on the line, in each case (birthright citizenship and the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965), we fought to bring immigrants to the table.

2/Read it in full to understand how historians can develop a method in legal history that is respectful about how historians can broaden how we see and understand constitutional law.

1/ @marthasjones.bsky.social and @katemasur.bsky.social have drafted a seminal brief: (a) that centers Black American beliefs on birthright citizenship and (b) uses a set of primary sources, such as speeches and Colored Conventions, fought for (and won) broad birthright citizenship for everyone.

"The framers [of the 14th Amendment] constitutionalized the universal view of birthright citizenship that free Black Americans advanced and the common law guaranteed."

@marthasjones.bsky.social and @katemasur.bsky.social provide a powerful history lesson in the form of a legal brief

And, whoosh, this goes straight into the readings for my history methods and theory course.

There is no pair better qualified to speak on this matter. I am so glad they shared their arguments with the Court.

Historians’ Amicus Brief in Trump v. Barbara Two historians and professors of legal history represented by Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP have filed a brief supporting a challenge to President Trump’s executive order purporting to end birthright citi...

« The historians’ brief — authored by Professor Martha S. Jones and Professor Kate Masur — centers on the pre–Civil War advocacy of free Black Americans for a broad and inclusive principle of birthright citizenship. » www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

Historians’ Amicus Brief in Trump v. Barbara Two historians and professors of legal history represented by Kendall Brill & Kelly LLP have filed a brief supporting a challenge to President Trump’s executive order purporting to end birthright citi...

« The historians’ brief — authored by Professor Martha S. Jones and Professor Kate Masur — centers on the pre–Civil War advocacy of free Black Americans for a broad and inclusive principle of birthright citizenship. » www.brennancenter.org/our-work/res...

NEW: Profs. Martha Jones and @brennancenter.org Historians Council Member Kate Masur filed an amicus brief in the upcoming Supreme Court case involving Trump’s attempt to unconstitutionally strip birthright citizenship 🧵

⏰Historians @marthasjones.bsky.social &
@katemasur.bsky.social have filed a NEW brief in the birthright citizenship cases. It shows how the story of free Black Americans' advocacy for birthright citizenship unravels Trump's lead justification for his EO.

📑⬇️ www.brennancenter.org/sites/defaul...

Looking forward to being in conversation on "Journalism & History" with @kawulf.bsky.social, @marthasjones.bsky.social & @pastpunditry.bsky.social this evening at 5 p.m.

jcblibrary.org/events/journ...

TODAY! Join us virtually at 5:30 p.m. EST for a panel discussion featuring JCB Director Karin Wulf, Laurent Dubois (University of Virginia), Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt University), and Martha Jones (Johns Hopkins University).

Register here: brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

related: Vanguard by Martha Jones was very enlightening for me on some of those differences. I had kind of known that Black Protestant churches weren't just a difference of worship style, but all Protestant churches and their differences are a bit mysterious to me, a cradle catholic

And we will round out the first phase of our Journalism and History When History Is News series with a discussion featuring JCB Director Karin Wulf, Laurent Dubois (U of Virginia), Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt U), and Martha Jones (Johns Hopkins U).
jcblibrary.org/events/journ...

Join us virtually TOMORROW, February 24, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. EST for a panel discussion featuring JCB Director Karin Wulf, Laurent Dubois (University of Virginia), Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt University), and Martha Jones (Johns Hopkins University).

Register here: brown.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

The image contains a photo of Schuessler and information about the event.

Jennifer Schuessler, a reporter for The New York Times; and a panel of historians including Laurent Dubois of University of Virginia, Nicole Hemmer of Vanderbilt University, and Martha Jones of Johns Hopkins University.

Thank you! And yes, there is so much history it’s not possible to fit it all in.

If you are looking at 18th century, you should check out Dr. Martha Jones’ Vanguard, if you havent,

How Vietnam Inflamed the Civil Rights Movement

How the military criminalized blackness in Vietnam: my essay on an eye-opening new history of the war. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/09/b...

True story! The @jcblibrary.bsky.social is hosting a (nearly) year long series of events about History & Journalism -- there's never been a better year to think about this. Beginning w 4 online events in February, interviews with 3 amazing journalists, and then a panel with 3 amazing historians.

Two (2) dates for this tour in February, and then it's gone again! Click thru ⬇️ for more details

Birthright citizenship has been a core constitutional guarantee for ages.

If you're just tuning into the discourse now, check out our panel with expert historians @marthasjones.bsky.social @katemasur.bsky.social and Erika Lee: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QCI... @brennancenter.org

Historians @marthasjones.bsky.social and @katemasur.bsky.social filed a critical brief on birthright citizenship in the circuit courts, showing how the story of free Black Americans' advocacy unravels the admin's lead justification for its executive order.

www.brennancenter.org/media/14006/...

Good morning. The talk was not recorded but it will be published later this year. Stay tuned and thank you.