Amy Bertsch
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amybertsch.bsky.social
Amy Bertsch
@amybertsch.bsky.social
Northern Virginian with day job outside of my archaeology, architecture, African American, LGBTQ+, Appalachian and local history interests.
Thrilled to be discussing my research on Hannah Nokes Dec 13 at Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg. "Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion" from @uvapress.bsky.social will be available for purchase. #QueerHistory #LGBTQHistory #TransHistory #Loudoun www.leesburgva.gov/Home/Compone...
November 9, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Author Jay Watkins' research offers proof of Richmond's rich queer history, especially in the world of theatre.
The Queer South
Author Jay Watkins' research offers proof of Richmond's rich queer history, especially in the world of theatre.
dlvr.it
November 5, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Proposals for 2026 Virginia Forum history conference due tomorrow, Nov 2 virginia-forum.org/2026-confere...
November 1, 2025 at 7:31 PM
I decided to see if ChatGPT could help with some transcribing, probably just getting a few words here and there to get me started and maybe save some time. Instead of it saying it couldn't read a PDF of faded handwriting, it completely made stuff up.
October 17, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Alexandria hosting public meeting on improvements to Douglass Memorial Cemetery
Alexandria hosting public meeting on improvements to Douglass Memorial Cemetery | ALXnow
Alexandria will provide an update later this month on stormwater solutions for the historic, and flood-prone, Douglass Memorial Cemetery (1421 Wilkes Street). The city says that the cemetery, named after...
www.alxnow.com
October 15, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Many thanks to the Arlington Public Library for hosting our “Queer Virginia” author event for LGBTQ+ History Month! We definitely appreciated the insightful, engaged audience! #queerhistory @uvapress.bsky.social
October 11, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Historian and NSU professor Charles Ford to discuss “Queer Virginia” from @uvapress.bsky.social at Library of Virginia this Tuesday
Transgender people made headlines in Loudoun County almost 100 years before becoming a political topic
"We do have a history, all of us, in all parts of Virginia,” historian Charles Ford said.
www.wvtf.org
September 27, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Author Talk: “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion” | ARLnow www.arlnow.com/events/autho...
Author Talk: “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion” | ARLnow
In celebration of LGBTQ History Month, come learn about Queer history in the Commonwealth. Join us for an engaging discussion of the new book, “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion" and…
www.arlnow.com
September 12, 2025 at 11:37 PM
On September 27, George Mason student Andrew Snowman is presenting "Policing of Black Bodies in Antebellum Fairfax County" librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov/event/15195106
Historical Society of Fairfax County Presents: Policing of Black Bodies in Antebellum Fairfax County
George Mason University student Andrew Snowman will speak about his research into critically investigating 19th century white policing of Black bodies which acknowledges the...
librarycalendar.fairfaxcounty.gov
September 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reservations are now open for Halloweddings on Oct 31 at historic Gadsby's Tavern in Old Town Alexandria apps.alexandriava.gov/Calendar/Det... #halloween
Halloweddings, Fri Oct 31, 2025 10 a.m.-3:20 p.m. | Calendar | City of Alexandria, VA
The Clerk of Court is offering Halloween-themed wedding services at historic Gadsby's Tavern Ballroom. Appointments must be booked in advance.
apps.alexandriava.gov
September 20, 2025 at 6:16 PM
#DMV friends, hope you can join me Oct 9 at this Arlington Library event with Charles Ford and Jay Watkins, co-chair of @lgbtqhistorya.bsky.social, as we discuss our new book “Queer Virginia” from @uvapress.bsky.social arlingtonva.libcal.com/event/15366220
Author Talk: "Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion" in celebration of LGBTQ History Month
Celebrate and learn about Queer history of the Commonwealth Join us for an engaging discussion of the new book, “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion" and learn about V...
arlingtonva.libcal.com
September 15, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Twenty years ago, I took a historical archaeology class in the Public History and Historic Preservation program at @novacommcollege.bsky.social that changed my life. My program classmates were brilliant and continue to do amazing research and I still work on the project I was assigned that semester.
September 5, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Editors of "Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion," published by @uvapress.bsky.social, to speak at Library of Virginia September 30 #queerhistory #lgbtqhistory lva-virginia.libcal.com/event/15187738
Book Talk With Charles H. Ford and Jeffrey L. Littlejohn | Queer Virginia
Join us for a free talk by historians Charles H. Ford and Jeffrey L. Littlejohn on the new work they co-edited, “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion.” The book offers...
lva-virginia.libcal.com
August 23, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
It was a pleasure to read and write about Marni Sandweiss's new book, "The Girl in the Middle" for the Emerging Civil War blog.

It also gave me a chance to experiment with book review writing style, which was great fun!

emergingcivilwar.com/2025/07/31/b...
Book Review: The Girl in the Middle: A Recovered History of the American West - Emerging Civil War
The Girl in the Middle: A Recovered History of the American West. By Martha A. Sandweiss. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2025. Hardcover, 368 pp. $32.00. Reviewed by Megan Kate Nelson Toda...
emergingcivilwar.com
August 9, 2025 at 5:43 PM
On August 8, in remembrance of lynching victim Benjamin Thomas, the Alexandria Community Remembrance Project welcomes historian Steven Hahn who will present "Political Violence, Racial Terror, and the Perpetual Struggle of American Democracy"
July 10, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
“Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion,” released last month, presents a record of LGBTQ+ people in the commonwealth and their struggles for acceptance.
New book examines the hidden histories and fights for equality of queer Virginians
The new book, 'Queer Virginia,' is an essay collection that highlights the creative ways LGBTQ+ people during the centuries have defied societal norms and fought for acceptance.
www.whro.org
July 9, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Co-editor of queer Virginia history anthology: “We wanted a happy medium between popular history and academic history.”
New book examines the hidden histories and fights for equality of queer Virginians
'Queer Virginia' is an essay collection highlighting the creative ways LGBTQ+ Virginians have defied societal norms and fought for acceptance.
www.vpm.org
July 8, 2025 at 7:54 PM
So excited to receive Krystyn Moon’s “Proximity to Power: Rethinking Race and Place in Alexandria, Virginia” from @uncpress.bsky.social today!
June 11, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Happy #pubday to "Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion", edited by Charles H. Ford and Jeffrey L. Littlejohn

A new, definitive queer history of the Commonwealth

upress.virginia.edu/title/10093/

#readUP #booksky
June 10, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Full Schedule! Join Invisible Histories on Sunday, June 8, 2025, at 11:00am CST / 12:00pm ET for our annual Queer History Teach In—a virtual storytelling event spotlighting LGBTQ+ histories from across the South and beyond! Presenter schedule coming soon!✨🌈

Register at: givebutter.com/teachin2025
June 3, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Thrilled to receive “Queer Virginia: New Stories in the Old Dominion” from @uvapress.bsky.social and to share the story of Hannah Nokes, a Black transgender woman who testified for the Commonwealth in Loudoun in a major case in civil rights history www.upress.virginia.edu/title/10093/ #transhistory
May 11, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Reposted by Amy Bertsch
Happy to share my bimonthly (or so) newsletter, Discovering Lives--writing tips, book review of Last Seen, and more.
mailchi.mp/fullcircle/d...
Discovering Lives
A newsletter about history, writing, and writing on history
mailchi.mp
April 9, 2025 at 12:53 PM
A dear friend of my parents is a retired CIA officer. He included Vaclav Havel’s words on hope in his holiday letter this winter.
April 6, 2025 at 1:54 PM