Marshanah T. (she/her)
@marshanah-t.bsky.social
Tech Librarian @ Downs-Jones Library
Member @ACM.org | @Howard.edu Data Science '25 Scholar 📈 | @Stanford.edu CIP '25 Alum 🌐 | ex-Smithsonian ☀️ | Texas Ex '24 🤘🏾
Interests: #AIBias #AncientBlackness #BlackDH
Website 🔗 : https://linktr.ee/marstay
📍ATX
Member @ACM.org | @Howard.edu Data Science '25 Scholar 📈 | @Stanford.edu CIP '25 Alum 🌐 | ex-Smithsonian ☀️ | Texas Ex '24 🤘🏾
Interests: #AIBias #AncientBlackness #BlackDH
Website 🔗 : https://linktr.ee/marstay
📍ATX
Pinned
Drop yall degrees
Master of Science in Information Studies
• Specialization(s): Archival Science, Library and Information Science
Bachelor of Science in Informatics
• Concentration(s): Cultural Heritage, Human-Centered Data Science
• Specialization(s): Archival Science, Library and Information Science
Bachelor of Science in Informatics
• Concentration(s): Cultural Heritage, Human-Centered Data Science
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Hi! I'm a book historian working on what I call the reading spaces model for my dissertation. I'm developing it by focusing on 18th New Spain #EarlyModern #BookHistory Here's a fun post on archival research related to signatures. I also work at an #STS centre on #CitizenScience & #ResearchIntegrity
#ArchiveEmotion: my eighteenth century telenovela
In a previous post, I mentioned the slow-pace of working with archives. Reading through metres of paper is however anything but boring. Besides finding material for our research we often find extremel...
www.leidenartsinsocietyblog.nl
August 26, 2024 at 8:20 PM
Hi! I'm a book historian working on what I call the reading spaces model for my dissertation. I'm developing it by focusing on 18th New Spain #EarlyModern #BookHistory Here's a fun post on archival research related to signatures. I also work at an #STS centre on #CitizenScience & #ResearchIntegrity
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Wow, they analysed 2 centuries of scholarly work based on a test not suitable and produced an article of 5 paragraphs. What could possibly be wrong?
No author so this could have been written by a bot, but…
judging the "readability" of 347K PhD abstracts written btw 1812 and 2023 based on Flesch test which measures word and sentence length & targets 4th grade is ridiculous and a collosal waste of time.
Free link: archive.ph/2024.12.21-0...
judging the "readability" of 347K PhD abstracts written btw 1812 and 2023 based on Flesch test which measures word and sentence length & targets 4th grade is ridiculous and a collosal waste of time.
Free link: archive.ph/2024.12.21-0...
Academic writing is getting harder to read—the humanities most of all
We analyse two centuries of scholarly work
www.economist.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Wow, they analysed 2 centuries of scholarly work based on a test not suitable and produced an article of 5 paragraphs. What could possibly be wrong?
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
🎬Our interview series "Data Practices, Provenance, and Categorizations in Film History" is out now! 👉 doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
Our #DAVIF project partners discuss how data practices and institutional and theoretical frameworks shape film-historical #metadata.
#digitalfilmhistory #culturalheritage
Our #DAVIF project partners discuss how data practices and institutional and theoretical frameworks shape film-historical #metadata.
#digitalfilmhistory #culturalheritage
Data Practices, Provenance, and Categorizations in Film History. Interviews with Scholars, Archivists, and Project Managers
The interviews in this collection were conducted by the BMFTR research group “Aesthetics of Access: Visualizing Research Data on Women in Film History” (DAVIF) (2021-2026) at the Institute of Media St...
doi.org
October 21, 2025 at 2:30 PM
🎬Our interview series "Data Practices, Provenance, and Categorizations in Film History" is out now! 👉 doi.org/10.5281/zeno...
Our #DAVIF project partners discuss how data practices and institutional and theoretical frameworks shape film-historical #metadata.
#digitalfilmhistory #culturalheritage
Our #DAVIF project partners discuss how data practices and institutional and theoretical frameworks shape film-historical #metadata.
#digitalfilmhistory #culturalheritage
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
It's fake towns!
lithub.com/did-you-know...
lithub.com/did-you-know...
Did You Know Mapmakers Used to Make Up Fake Towns in Order to Catch Plagiarists?
Mapmaking, if you do it properly, is a time-consuming and money-consuming business. You have to do field surveys and travel to multiple locations, some of which can’t be accessed in a vehicle. You …
lithub.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:00 AM
It's fake towns!
lithub.com/did-you-know...
lithub.com/did-you-know...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Class struggle resulting in revolutionary overthrow of the current political and economic structures. The Marxist model.
November 20, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Class struggle resulting in revolutionary overthrow of the current political and economic structures. The Marxist model.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
The company, Bookmarked, pitches itself as an “antivirus for libraries.”
It promises to scan thousands of titles and alert schools — and even parents — to books that could cause “board liability” or “media attention.” 2/ www.expressnews.com/politics/art...
It promises to scan thousands of titles and alert schools — and even parents — to books that could cause “board liability” or “media attention.” 2/ www.expressnews.com/politics/art...
'Antivirus for libraries': How a Texas startup is capitalizing on book bans
The company Bookmarked, whose cofounder advocated for SB 13, describes itself as a neutral player in the censorship debate. Critics disagree.
www.expressnews.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:34 PM
The company, Bookmarked, pitches itself as an “antivirus for libraries.”
It promises to scan thousands of titles and alert schools — and even parents — to books that could cause “board liability” or “media attention.” 2/ www.expressnews.com/politics/art...
It promises to scan thousands of titles and alert schools — and even parents — to books that could cause “board liability” or “media attention.” 2/ www.expressnews.com/politics/art...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
You can listen to the segment here! www.texasstandard.org/stories/texa...
School districts turn to AI to comply with new state laws about library book content
Critics worry about AI giving school staff bad information, while advocates say this saves time.
www.texasstandard.org
November 6, 2025 at 12:09 AM
You can listen to the segment here! www.texasstandard.org/stories/texa...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
NEW FROM ME: Texas school boards are increasingly turning to ChatGPT & other AI programs to comply with SB 13, a new state law that requires them to vet school library purchase lists for "indecent" or "profane" content.
#txlege
www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/art...
#txlege
www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/art...
Some Texas schools are using AI to screen library books under new state law
Supporters see ChatGPT as a way to help weed out inappropriate content, but critics say AI can include incorrect details and miss valuable context.
www.houstonchronicle.com
October 29, 2025 at 4:25 PM
NEW FROM ME: Texas school boards are increasingly turning to ChatGPT & other AI programs to comply with SB 13, a new state law that requires them to vet school library purchase lists for "indecent" or "profane" content.
#txlege
www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/art...
#txlege
www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/art...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Earlier data indicated private-sector payrolls increased in October after declining in the two previous months.
Job Losses Mounted In October As Employers 'Struggled'—And Wall Street Projects Grim Job Market
Earlier data indicated private-sector payrolls increased in October after declining in the two previous months.
www.forbes.com
November 11, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Earlier data indicated private-sector payrolls increased in October after declining in the two previous months.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
☕ The financial operations of slave plantations involved sophisticated accounting and the use of financial instruments to facilitate the trade of enslaved people and their products. These practices contributed to the development of modern banking and finance. share.google/RFv46cQc5F3v...
November 12, 2025 at 9:29 PM
☕ The financial operations of slave plantations involved sophisticated accounting and the use of financial instruments to facilitate the trade of enslaved people and their products. These practices contributed to the development of modern banking and finance. share.google/RFv46cQc5F3v...
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Black cowboys were the original cowboys. “They didn’t have white cowboys,” says Larry Callies, founder of The Black Cowboy Museum. “Black men were called cowboys because of their skin… White men were cowhands—until Hollywood changed the story. #BlackHistoryMonth
The True Legacy of Black Cowboys
Black cowboys are fundamental to Texas history, present, and future. We spoke to historians about the real men who shaped the West.
thebarbedwire.com
February 24, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Black cowboys were the original cowboys. “They didn’t have white cowboys,” says Larry Callies, founder of The Black Cowboy Museum. “Black men were called cowboys because of their skin… White men were cowhands—until Hollywood changed the story. #BlackHistoryMonth
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
“Do you have bandwidth/capacity for- “ No!!!
November 7, 2025 at 6:09 PM
“Do you have bandwidth/capacity for- “ No!!!
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
I've spent a lot of my public writing career discussing @janellecj.bsky.social's #BlackWomenBest. One of the first platforms to give me the space to share why Black women are the rising tide that lifts all boats was @teenvogue.com yet again.
This piece put me on @ayannapressley.bsky.social radar. 🥹
This piece put me on @ayannapressley.bsky.social radar. 🥹
The U.S. Economy Needs to Center Black Women
It would create a fairer system for everyone.
www.teenvogue.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:39 AM
I've spent a lot of my public writing career discussing @janellecj.bsky.social's #BlackWomenBest. One of the first platforms to give me the space to share why Black women are the rising tide that lifts all boats was @teenvogue.com yet again.
This piece put me on @ayannapressley.bsky.social radar. 🥹
This piece put me on @ayannapressley.bsky.social radar. 🥹
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Fun fact: Dr. Fenaba Addo and I wrote a piece about the myths surrounding #studentdebt cancellation for @teenvogue.com that got so much traction, it was included in a book. Teen Vogue has literally cemented me as a public writer and I am so grateful.
Two of the Main Arguments Against Student Debt Cancellation Are Wrong
No, the wealthy won’t benefit the most.
www.teenvogue.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:43 AM
Fun fact: Dr. Fenaba Addo and I wrote a piece about the myths surrounding #studentdebt cancellation for @teenvogue.com that got so much traction, it was included in a book. Teen Vogue has literally cemented me as a public writer and I am so grateful.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
In honor of @teenvogue.com, my favorite pieces ever. My first op-ed for them was about none other than Governor Lisa Cook.
I made a case for why her appointment to the Fed would make a difference. Thank you to @allegrak.bsky.social for seeing the vision and running the story.
I made a case for why her appointment to the Fed would make a difference. Thank you to @allegrak.bsky.social for seeing the vision and running the story.
Why It Matters That This Economist Is on Biden’s Transition Team
As a young Black economist, Lisa D. Cook is everything I hope to become.
www.teenvogue.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:36 AM
In honor of @teenvogue.com, my favorite pieces ever. My first op-ed for them was about none other than Governor Lisa Cook.
I made a case for why her appointment to the Fed would make a difference. Thank you to @allegrak.bsky.social for seeing the vision and running the story.
I made a case for why her appointment to the Fed would make a difference. Thank you to @allegrak.bsky.social for seeing the vision and running the story.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
Most white colleges wouldn’t accept Black students, and Black colleges didn’t have the capacity to handle the post-war demand—by 1947, as many as 50,000 qualified Black veterans had been turned away.
How a hostile America undermined its Black WWII veterans
Servicemembers were attacked, discredited, and shortchanged on GI benefits—with lasting implications.
www.motherjones.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Most white colleges wouldn’t accept Black students, and Black colleges didn’t have the capacity to handle the post-war demand—by 1947, as many as 50,000 qualified Black veterans had been turned away.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
“When we hyperfocus on the exceptions, people and institutions then use that as an excuse to claim there are no structural inequalities. They use the exceptions to absolve themselves of responsibility for improving life and structures for all individuals facing obstacles and barriers.”👇🏽
I talked to Black Ballad, one of the leading Black magazines in the U.K., about how the very narrow definition of "Black excellence" will not lead Black folks into liberation.
A very fun and honest interview about respectability politics, race, and where we actually go from here. #blacksky #uk
A very fun and honest interview about respectability politics, race, and where we actually go from here. #blacksky #uk
It’s Time We Accept That “Black Excellence” Won’t Lead To Black Liberation
Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman embodies “Black excellence”, but she’s advocating for a world where “Black women can be mediocre without consequence”.
blackballad.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
“When we hyperfocus on the exceptions, people and institutions then use that as an excuse to claim there are no structural inequalities. They use the exceptions to absolve themselves of responsibility for improving life and structures for all individuals facing obstacles and barriers.”👇🏽
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
But what alarms me in all this is how the girls who were victimized by these men are largely forgotten. I want us to find ways of centering them in the discourse.
November 12, 2025 at 8:13 PM
But what alarms me in all this is how the girls who were victimized by these men are largely forgotten. I want us to find ways of centering them in the discourse.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
My final piece for @teenvogue.com politics section was a piece titled "There's a Steep Price to Ignoring Black Expertise" and boy has that come full circle.
Thank you @allegrak.bsky.social and the politics editorial team for turning this Head Start kid into a Black woman who writes for the public.
Thank you @allegrak.bsky.social and the politics editorial team for turning this Head Start kid into a Black woman who writes for the public.
There’s a Steep Cost for Ignoring Black Expertise
We live in a world bent on undermining Black life.
www.teenvogue.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:48 AM
My final piece for @teenvogue.com politics section was a piece titled "There's a Steep Price to Ignoring Black Expertise" and boy has that come full circle.
Thank you @allegrak.bsky.social and the politics editorial team for turning this Head Start kid into a Black woman who writes for the public.
Thank you @allegrak.bsky.social and the politics editorial team for turning this Head Start kid into a Black woman who writes for the public.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
A shameless plug for one of my FAVORITE economists @paulgp.com who is the king of creating cool stuff using data.
He's put out a searchable database to scour the emails and text from Epstein.
He's put out a searchable database to scour the emails and text from Epstein.
For folks (and journalists) who want to search the Oversight Committee email texts, I made a database for searching the 20k text files:
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
Epstein Document Search
splendorous-chaja-f79791.netlify.app
November 13, 2025 at 1:55 AM
A shameless plug for one of my FAVORITE economists @paulgp.com who is the king of creating cool stuff using data.
He's put out a searchable database to scour the emails and text from Epstein.
He's put out a searchable database to scour the emails and text from Epstein.
Reposted by Marshanah T. (she/her)
I also spent my public writing capital introducing a new generation to America's first Black economist, Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander. Once again @teenvogue.com and @allegrak.bsky.social created space for stories that weren't covered by other outlets in a way that mattered!
Sadie Alexander Was a Trailblazing Economist and Activist
Happy birthday, Sadie!
www.teenvogue.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:46 AM
I also spent my public writing capital introducing a new generation to America's first Black economist, Dr. Sadie T.M. Alexander. Once again @teenvogue.com and @allegrak.bsky.social created space for stories that weren't covered by other outlets in a way that mattered!