Benjamin Park

These poor kids. This family did nothing wrong except believe in the United States.

I’ve reached the age where my knee punishes me for an entire weekend because I…*checks notes*…tried to stand up from my car.

The Shady Cop Who Haunts Halloweentown A porn-texting police chief, a mayor posting through it all and the Oregon town that can’t let go of the 2024 election.

This story contains a porn-texting police chief, a money-hungry police union, a nasty mayor’s race, a man in a Waldo costume and the phrase “pig pig pig” — your weekend read from @thewesternedge.bsky.social / me and @ryanjhaas.bsky.social

www.thewesternedge.media/p/the-shady-...

How Latino Culture Is Transforming Mormonism Most people imagine Mormonism as a predominantly white American religion—but that picture is incomplete. Across the United States and throughout the Americas, Latino converts have become one of the…

Sujey Vega, author of "Mormon Barrio," recently joined @benjaminepark.bsky.social to discuss the growing Latino presence in Mormonism.

Discover how Latino converts, often from Catholic roots, are reshaping LDS culture, with strong community ties and responses to social issues.

The natural culmination of America's New Thought tradition is the US president determining other nations' sovereignty solely with his mind.

YouTube video by Benjamin Park, Historian How Latino Culture Is Transforming Mormonism

Congrats to Sujey Vega and @nyupress.bsky.social for their phenomenal new book on Latino Mormonism. I interviewed Dr. Vega about it and the significance of Spanish-speaking LDS congregations. youtu.be/pVDg8Al_K9c?...

But does Noem get to keep all her cosplay costumes?

Has someone already made the joke about Trump firing Noem like a dog? Yes? Everyone has? Okay, I’ll hold off.

I'm honored to have contributed to a roundtable in @modamhist.bsky.social reflecting on Jon Butler's 2004 article, “Jack-in-the-Box Faith: The Religion Problem in Modern American History." Thanks to Darren Dochuk for the invitation to join a great group of scholars.

I’m also curious if Mullen is expected to perpetuate other forms of DHS relations with Corey Lewandowski.

We received such fantastic questions from the audience! Here’s the link to my conversation with @benjaminepark.bsky.social from last night.

Yup, the whole thing is available now at the same link.

The Rise of Mormon Extremism: A LIVE Discussion with Benjamin Park and Leah Sottile YouTube video by Benjamin Park, Historian

Here's the YouTube link. We'll be going live at 9pm ET, 7pm MT. www.youtube.com/live/pzWyl2q...

Folks: a reminder that tonight I'm hosting a LIVE discussion with @leahsottile.bsky.social. We'll dig into the varieties of Mormon extremism in the recent decades--you know, all the groups that have been the focus of so many HULU, HBO, and Netflix documentaries. It should be fun. (In a morbid way.)

I’m also Team Scrivener.

The Rise of Mormon Extremism: A LIVE Discussion with Benjamin Park and Leah Sottile YouTube video by Benjamin Park, Historian

I’ll be doing my first-ever livestream on YouTube tomorrow March 4 at 7 pm MT with @benjaminepark.bsky.social , author of American Zion. We’ll be talking all about extremism in church history, Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell, the Bundys, etc. Join us!
www.youtube.com/live/pzWyl2q...

Swingy for Texas, I guess. But the general election won't be much of a contest.

I think it's too early to say that. I'd still wager that Paxton pulls it out tonight--the remaining votes will swing his way--but Cornyn might be favored in a run-off.

I can’t believe I live in a state that might conclude both John Cornyn and Dan Crenshaw are “too woke.”

I grew weary with the infighting so pervasive in primaries, but am stoked to support either Crockett or Talarico in the senate election.

And also terrified that Texas Republicans have devolved to a point where they’re gonna nominate Paxton.

a man wearing a number 17 jersey stands in the stands ALT: a man wearing a number 17 jersey stands in the stands

I need @lollardfish.bsky.social to explain to me how Naz Reid is a real person. Dude is unfair.

I haven’t seen any evidence of that.

Or pronouncing “Nicene.”

YouTube video by Benjamin Park, Historian How Romney Paved the Way for Trump

Also, if you’re interested in the anecdote or want to use it in a classroom setting, I did a whole video on it:

How Romney’s Campaign Paved the Way for Trump
youtu.be/-TNp4eG-nFc

A moment I often think about is how when Romney, a Mormon, was eyeing a presidential run, his advisors organized a meeting with evangelical leaders in 2006. Jerry Falwell and Franklin Graham then grilled him on the Trinity & the Nicene Creed.

Just imagine Trump being grilled about the Nicene Creed.

S-USIH 2026 CFP: Intellectual Historians’ Toolkits: Methods, Theories, Practices | Society for US Intellectual History Society for U.S. Intellectual History Call for Proposals The 2026 S-USIH Annual Conference will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, on November 12-14, 2026, on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Mad...

This is such an engaging theme -- I have so many ideas! Please consider submitting your proposal: s-usih.org/2026/02/s-us...

dammit I was trying to go to sleep

A good mail week. I love me some good sweeping narratives with provocative arguments.

YouTube video by Benjamin Park, Historian How Accurate is The Testament of Ann Lee?

I loved the new movie on Ann Lee so much that I invited my friend and Shaker historian, Jennifer Dorsey, to join me in discussing its relationship to history. Feel free to share with others interested in the musical Ann Lee saga. youtu.be/fEutlCiNabw

Three historical images in a horizontal collage separated by thin burgundy lines. Left and right panels show eighteenth century soldiers in uniform with muskets. The center panel shows the words “We the People” on parchment.

Are you building a course about the American Revolution, preparing to write an essay on early America, or simply want to dig deeper into revolutionary history? Our new Revolutionary America Resource Guide is for you! A compilation of #EAS articles from 2010 through today: https://bit.ly/4cfsTEk