Randall Stephens
@randalljstephens.bsky.social
American historian, religion, environment, pop culture, the South. Author: The Devil's Music (Harvard, 2018). Prof of Am & Brit Studies, Univ of Oslo. Fulbright alumnus.
Feelings that We Feel
November 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Feelings that We Feel
Competent to Counsel... but may ruin your life in the process.
November 25, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Competent to Counsel... but may ruin your life in the process.
Everyone who mailed in for this in 1911 has been dead for ages.
November 24, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Everyone who mailed in for this in 1911 has been dead for ages.
The latest arrivals from McGill-Queen's UP and Oxford UP
November 24, 2025 at 4:54 PM
The latest arrivals from McGill-Queen's UP and Oxford UP
"Well, why doesn't he see a psychiatrist?" Herblock on the madness of McCarthy's televised, anti-communist crusade, June 1954.
November 24, 2025 at 2:59 PM
"Well, why doesn't he see a psychiatrist?" Herblock on the madness of McCarthy's televised, anti-communist crusade, June 1954.
"I guess they're trying to sell us on socialism." Herblock, June 1954.
November 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM
"I guess they're trying to sell us on socialism." Herblock, June 1954.
Herblock draws the forces of isolationism, anti-intellectualism, and anti-communism gathering around Ike's Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, May 1954.
November 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Herblock draws the forces of isolationism, anti-intellectualism, and anti-communism gathering around Ike's Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, May 1954.
Herblock on American political priorities in 1966.
November 24, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Herblock on American political priorities in 1966.
What's the old saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
November 24, 2025 at 1:42 PM
What's the old saying? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Paul Conrad on the far right painting enemies with a red brush, Ventura County Star, 8/24/1966.
November 24, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Paul Conrad on the far right painting enemies with a red brush, Ventura County Star, 8/24/1966.
Car colors by year in Poland, 1990-2020. In the US in 2019, over 46% of cars were either black or white.
November 24, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Car colors by year in Poland, 1990-2020. In the US in 2019, over 46% of cars were either black or white.
Glenn Alvin Bretthauer on the pressure for US involvement in Vietnam, Miami Herald, 4/25/1954.
November 24, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Glenn Alvin Bretthauer on the pressure for US involvement in Vietnam, Miami Herald, 4/25/1954.
With the Beatles Anthology reissue, here's an idea for a very niche vinyl release. Could include the Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City press conferences from August 1966, a radio interview with Billy Graham, interviews with Birmingham, AL teens by the BBC, the rantings of southern DJs...
November 23, 2025 at 7:09 PM
With the Beatles Anthology reissue, here's an idea for a very niche vinyl release. Could include the Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City press conferences from August 1966, a radio interview with Billy Graham, interviews with Birmingham, AL teens by the BBC, the rantings of southern DJs...
Cecil Jensen on the perils of the atomic age, 1954.
November 23, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Cecil Jensen on the perils of the atomic age, 1954.
Back when there were checks and balances. Glenn Alvin Bretthauer on McCarthy v Ike, Miami Herald, 7/2/1954.
November 22, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Back when there were checks and balances. Glenn Alvin Bretthauer on McCarthy v Ike, Miami Herald, 7/2/1954.
“Up to his old tricks.” Frank Williams on McCarthy’s anti-communist act, May 1954.
November 20, 2025 at 5:22 PM
“Up to his old tricks.” Frank Williams on McCarthy’s anti-communist act, May 1954.
Congrats to Speaker Mike Johnson for winning this year's Frank Drebin There's Nothing to See Here Prize.
November 19, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Congrats to Speaker Mike Johnson for winning this year's Frank Drebin There's Nothing to See Here Prize.
Conservative Christian media personality and family values foghorn James Dobson spoke about Prince and his song "Darling Nikki" in the 1980s. I made a little video edit.
November 19, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Conservative Christian media personality and family values foghorn James Dobson spoke about Prince and his song "Darling Nikki" in the 1980s. I made a little video edit.
"Boo!" Newton Pratt, Modesto Bee, 6/30/1954. Days earlier, Republican Rep from PA Richard Simpson said that McCarthy "will prove to be an asset" to the GOP. Simpson thought that McCarthy, who had a terrible reputation be then, would "help elect more Republicans."
November 19, 2025 at 2:12 PM
"Boo!" Newton Pratt, Modesto Bee, 6/30/1954. Days earlier, Republican Rep from PA Richard Simpson said that McCarthy "will prove to be an asset" to the GOP. Simpson thought that McCarthy, who had a terrible reputation be then, would "help elect more Republicans."
Newton Pratt depicts the GOP getting clowned by McCarthy's reckless anti-communist crusading, Modesto Bee, 5/26/1954. Gallup polling showed that McCarthy had a 50% favorable rating with Americans in January 1954. That plummeted to 34% by June 1954.
November 19, 2025 at 12:44 PM
Newton Pratt depicts the GOP getting clowned by McCarthy's reckless anti-communist crusading, Modesto Bee, 5/26/1954. Gallup polling showed that McCarthy had a 50% favorable rating with Americans in January 1954. That plummeted to 34% by June 1954.
The level of detail in National Lampoon's 1973 spoof of a 1964 HS yearbook is a thing to behold.
November 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
The level of detail in National Lampoon's 1973 spoof of a 1964 HS yearbook is a thing to behold.
Newton Pratt's take on the Brown v Board decision, May 1954.
November 18, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Newton Pratt's take on the Brown v Board decision, May 1954.
Newton Pratt imagines the poison apple of McCarthyism and the effect on Ike and the GOP, May 1954.
November 18, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Newton Pratt imagines the poison apple of McCarthyism and the effect on Ike and the GOP, May 1954.
Who needs Mersey Beat when you can have "2 Great Albums of Important Sermons"
November 18, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Who needs Mersey Beat when you can have "2 Great Albums of Important Sermons"