Blair LM Kelley, Ph.D.
@profblmkelley
/writer/historian/ph.d./award-winning author of Black Folk/president @natlhumanities /breast cancer survivor/The Oracle
Last night's fit check! Thrilled to give the keynote, "Black Education is Always a Radical Act" for the HBCU Fellowship Collective at the Atlanta University Center.
Glowing from my Black Freedom event at Kindred Stories in Houston. What a joy to talk Juneteenth, Emancipation Days, memory and struggle in Texas! Black Freedom chronicles the celebration of freedom that began well before the national holiday. Available everywhere books are sold!
Headed to Houston for an event at Kindred Books! Join us if you can!!!
It's pub day! No better way to resist the erasure of Black history then to buy Black books! Available anywhere books are sold!
Black Freedom in Banff! Such a thrill to be a part of the Consortium of Humanities Centers and Institutes convening this year, what a wonderful place to celebrate my publication date! June 2!!!
I didn't do TOO much this year, but I still did it. Love keeping my mother's tradition of lamb and ham on Easter alive. Not to mention the tradition of deviled eggs! Miss her and love keeping her spirit alive through my food. #blairiscooking
Thrilled to have an advance copy of Black Freedom in my hands! It was a pleasure to tell the stories of emancipation. It will be out June 2nd but available for preorder now!Preorders remind publishers that our history matters, even in this age of repression! www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/blair...
Finding my 3-times great grandfather, Henry Rucker, registering to vote in 1867 was life changing. He did so at great risk to life and livelihood, but he did it anyway. Honored to commemorate the day that those rights were Constitutionally enshrined, still sacred & paid for at great sacrifice.
Feb. 1, 1960, 4 NC A&T students sat-in at the “whites only” counter at Woolworths in Greensboro. Their defiance ignited a movement led to the birth of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Young people fuel movements. It is inspiring to see that today they still do. #BlackHistoryMonth
Thankful to have the strength to make this wonderful meal this year. #Blairiscooking
This one is for my son, his fave triple chocolate, chocolate cake, extra chocolate icing. Candied yams up next... #Blairiscooking
First cake is for a family friend. Yellow cake/chocolate icing. Getting dropped off soon! #blairiscooking
Excited to share that I was elected to be a member of the Society of American Historians "in recognition of the narrative power and scholarly distinction" of my work as a historian. Such an honor to be in the company of scholars that I esteem and admire! #BlackFolk keeps opening doors!
She was gorgeous her whole life. Here she is at 90 speaking with my dad. My people stay beautiful.
Since we are talking about suiting and Black history, I'll just leave this picture of my aunt here she is on the end on the left side of the photo with the pointed toe. And she made that suit.
Needed to look this up last night to get the precise language of one of my favorite Toni Morrison quotes: "There is no time for despair, no place for self-pity, no need for silence, no room for fear. We speak, we write, we do language. That is how civilizations heal."
Excited to be at UVA next week to talk about Black Folk! As an alumna, it's always a honor to return. If you are in C'ville, please come through.
Congratulations @marthasjones.bsky.social for an AMAZING review of the Trouble of Color. It's imperative that we support Black history by Black scholars in this moment, and the Trouble of Color reminds us that the impulse to deny, misname, and erase our history isn't new. Pick it up today!
Black History Month continues in spite of what anybody thinks! Headed to Monmouth University for talk today! Join me if you're in the area.
Excited to be on my way to the University of Missouri to be this year's Black History Month speaker! #blackhistorymonth #blackfolk
Black history month was born in resistance. We don't need anyone's permission to do the research, to write to read, or to speak. Let's just keep going the work.
Sad to share the news that my father, Leroy Murphy, passed away yesterday morning at the age of 90. He lived a full and vibrant life full of music and stories well told, and left a legacy of faith and wisdom. He's 89 in the picture below. Handsome to the end. 💕
"If peace means keeping my mouth shut in the midst of injustice and evil, I don't want it." MLK, Jr, 1956. The Rev. Dr. King died fighting for justice and equality for the working poor. As you remember his birth don’t misremember his life.
My RFK book award finally arrived! So honored again, had to do a photo shoot! Thank you RFK Human Rights! Get your copy of the award-winning Black Folk from your favorite bookseller! #BlackFolk #BlackHistory #BlackAuthor #blackhistorymonth
Welcome to 2025. Let’s do our very best to make the world as much like right as possible, but remember that sometimes surviving is enough.
The food was so tasty. So good. After a year of being too weak to do what I love, this was the best gift! I’m glad to be back doing what I love. #Blairiscooking