Paul Renfro's Avatar

Paul Renfro

@renfro.bsky.social

Historian at Florida State University. Wrote STRANGER DANGER (@oxunipress.bsky.social) and THE LIFE AND DEATH OF RYAN WHITE (@uncpress.bsky.social). Writing THOSE FEARFUL DAYS and THE PASSION OF MATTHEW SHEPARD for @liveright.bsky.social / @wwnorton.com.

5,341 Followers  |  1,579 Following  |  1,471 Posts  |  Joined: 31.07.2023  |  2.137

Latest posts by renfro.bsky.social on Bluesky

Yes, but his grumpiness is charming!

22.11.2025 00:51 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Bernie’s very well-liked, though?

22.11.2025 00:47 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

GLAZING COMMUNISM

22.11.2025 00:43 — 👍 9    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0

There might be something to Zohran’s political strategy of being affable and championing policies that are actually popular. Maybe others should try this?

22.11.2025 00:38 — 👍 68    🔁 7    💬 5    📌 0
Post image

Gumbo closeup

22.11.2025 00:05 — 👍 8    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Preview
The Life and Death of Ryan White In the 1980s, as HIV/AIDS ravaged queer communities and communities of color in the United States and beyond, a straight white teenager named Ryan White emerged as the face of the epidemic. Diagnosed ...

Cf. @renfro.bsky.social's excellent book on Ryan White, which informed my thoughts on that 1980s moment of Hudson's diagnosis.

www.google.com/books/editio...

21.11.2025 17:22 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

Pretty amazing that the guy on the right vacated the White House sixteen years after the guy on the left did, and the guy on the right is also four years older than the guy on the left.

20.11.2025 23:21 — 👍 5    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
Post image

Hellworld

20.11.2025 20:59 — 👍 24    🔁 6    💬 4    📌 1
Post image Post image

Spaniel party

19.11.2025 22:54 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

So brave

19.11.2025 17:20 — 👍 11    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0
Post image

What have I done?

19.11.2025 11:57 — 👍 10    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

This one didn’t want to complete our walk yesterday evening, so I had to carry him most of the way.

18.11.2025 19:46 — 👍 7    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

Are you in Tallahassee? We love 4Rivers. The vegan burnt ends are great.

18.11.2025 13:11 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

My state’s governor desperately needs a tailor—and an exorcist.

18.11.2025 12:43 — 👍 11    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
Preview
‘Deeply ashamed’ Larry Summers steps back from public life over Epstein links Former treasury secretary steps away to ‘rebuild trust’ after severe backlash but will continue teaching Harvard classes

Only about thirty-five years late.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

18.11.2025 12:06 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image

Not bad for a thirty-eight-year-old faculty lounge lizard.

17.11.2025 19:30 — 👍 5    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image

Crushed by Cavaliers

16.11.2025 19:36 — 👍 11    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0
Post image

Our widely reviled, deeply uncharismatic, and phenomenally awkward governor made the pilgrimage to Oxford, Mississippi, this weekend—possibly to encourage Lane Kiffin to become the next head coach of the Florida Gators. His visit probably didn’t have the intended effect.

16.11.2025 16:28 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image

Jazz lover

15.11.2025 15:12 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Video thumbnail
15.11.2025 01:06 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
Post image

On my jog this morning, I inadvertently ran in the shape of Florida.

14.11.2025 21:52 — 👍 21    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0

Wrote 450 words and ran five miles before noon. Now That’s What I Call Sabbatical!

13.11.2025 16:54 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
Post image Post image

This shit is so exhausting and embarrassing.

11.11.2025 00:21 — 👍 13    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
Picture of my desktop computer with a PowerPoint slide (orange background) saying "Thank You!" alongside an image of my book about De La Soul, Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age.

Picture of my desktop computer with a PowerPoint slide (orange background) saying "Thank You!" alongside an image of my book about De La Soul, Living in a D.A.I.S.Y. Age.

Had a great conversation with a group of students in one of my friend's classes at Georgetown. I had a short lecture about my book planned, but it was all Q&A (my favorite!). We just talked about how the ways we listen to music have changed over time.

10.11.2025 18:47 — 👍 26    🔁 5    💬 2    📌 0

One of my friends once described her work as “bedtime stories for old liberals,” and I think that’s spot-on.

10.11.2025 21:26 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0
10.11.2025 16:26 — 👍 40    🔁 9    💬 4    📌 0

Guess this means I can stay gay-married to my gay husband.

10.11.2025 16:22 — 👍 18    🔁 0    💬 2    📌 0
Post image

Oh my god 🗃️

10.11.2025 12:51 — 👍 25    🔁 4    💬 3    📌 2
Preview
#ScholarSunday Thread 249 (11/9/25) – Black and White and Read All Over Here it is, my 249th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below in comments, please share as widely as...

Here it is, my 249th #ScholarSunday thread of great public scholarly writing & work, podcast episodes, new & forthcoming books from the last week. Add more below in comments, please share as widely as possible, & enjoy, all! 🗃️

blackwhiteandread.com/scholarsunda...

09.11.2025 12:59 — 👍 54    🔁 36    💬 3    📌 11

Thank you! You have impeccable taste.

08.11.2025 19:03 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

@renfro is following 20 prominent accounts