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Fruits, veggies can actually fuel lung cancer risk in young non-smokers: shocking study
State agency plagued with leadership turnover hired deputy commissioner accused of taking $99K from Colorado nonprofit
The former regional executive director of CASA of Adams and Broomfield counties was hired by the state Behavioral Health Administration in November
UK to end project tracking potential Israeli violations: Report
UK newspaper reports that Foreign Office unit logging possible war crimes has shut amid funding cuts.
Ascension BioMedical Expands Cannabis Cultivation Capabilities in Oberlin, Ohio
The company is building a 28,000-square-foot facility and renovating a 19,000-square-foot facility.
Drew Litton: Even in drought, a Colorado sports deluge
The cartoonist illustrates that while it may not be raining outside, the state's sports fans are getting drenched with big-league fun.
Opinion | The New York Times and the Politics of Theft and Murder
How low can the newspaper go?
New Jersey GOP Rep. Tom Kean Jr. has been missing for weeks over mysterious 'health issues'
Sheridan School District will stop health insurance coverage for staff as teachers strike hits 3 weeks
Some district staff were told they owe the district for insurance premiums, according to an email sent to employees
SCRC activism exhibit revisits protests, politics for America’s 250th
SCRC’s newest exhibit, “We Demand!: A Legacy of Activism in America” revisits newspapers, photographs, speeches of protests in the United States. The collection spans from the 1850s to the late 2010s.
GOP gubernatorial Bruce Blakeman promises tax relief for restaurants, small businesses as he blasts 'Hochul Special' tax crisis
Health Dept. report on S.F. hospital stabbing confirms Mission Local reporting
San Francisco will direct $15 million to Health Department security after fatal hospital stabbing.
Proposed ban on sports prop bets dies amid state budget woes
State lawmakers voted Tuesday morning to remove a proposed ban on prop bets from Senate Bill 131, a larger sports gambling reform measure.
Mayor Lurie moves S.F. homeless street-outreach teams to health department
The Lurie administration has increasingly emphasized the health needs of people on the street
At ‘Thrift Lab,’ Museum Of Science And Industry Explores Sustainable Fashion — And Invites You To Shop
The April 30 event will feature speakers on sustainability and clothing, stitch-themed cocktails, a hub to learn sewing and embellishment skills and a vintage market with “tchotchkes galore.”
Shaky political science: using "simulated" elections over real-world elections
[Dear DSOS readers – this article is the latest in our “Shaky Political Science” series. In our 38 page report, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting,” released in early December, we examined over 40 studies focused on ranked choice voting. We found that many of these studies suffered from puzzling research methodologies, poorly constructed surveys, unrealistic simulated elections, cherry picked data, and faulty analyses that often were contradicted by results from real-world elections (a link to our full paper is here). Here are links to the first three articles in our series: the first one summarizing the overall results of our report, the second one analyzing a study co-authored by University of Minnesota academic Larry Jacobs, which was one of the most error-prone of all the research we reviewed in our report, and a third article showing an admirable example of two political scientists holding two other political scientists accountable for their flawed, sloppy research]. In this fourth article in our “Shaky Political Science” series, we shine a spotlight on seven studies that were web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group (the ERRG is an ad hoc committee headed by New America’s Political Reform Program and joined by the American Enterprise Institute, the Unite America Institute and Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law). This research consortium has been led by Lee Drutman, senior fellow with New America’s Political Reform Program. These seven studies are simply not credible from any objective standard about how political “science” is supposed to illuminate our understanding of either ranked choice voting or politics in general. The feature that six of these seven studies have in common is that they all used surveys – artificial, simulated elections -- to attempt to say something cogent or interesting about ranked choice voting (RCV) elections. None of them used real world data from actual RCV elections – either the 1000+ elections in the US or the many thousands of elections from places like Australia, Ireland and elsewhere where RCV has been used for 100 years. While a few of these studies conclude with some mixed positives about RCV, our analysis here is content neutral. The idea that, with a political reform like RCV, you can ask respondents in a mock, artificial election to vote with that method, with only the barest of explanation about how RCV works or its likely impacts (i.e. no spoiler candidates, majority winners, voters liberated to pick their favorite candidates, coalition-building), and then ask them their thoughts/reactions about voting in that system, with fake candidates and no real campaigning, no real exposure to an actual election or actual candidates, rests on some very puzzling assumptions. The findings of these seven studies actually are contradicted by the findings from many other studies based on real-world RCV elections. These New America studies also failed to list the real-world RCV studies in their own citations, instead including those studies that reinforced their conclusions. The seven studies featured in this article were chosen because they form a cohesive cohort which precisely illustrates one of the main points of our research paper, namely that using surveys, i.e. artificial elections, or mathematical/theoretical models, instead of real-world data, is in fact “shaky political science.” Below are summaries of our analysis of five of the seven New America studies. You can read our complete analysis of all seven studies at our paper, “Shaky political ‘science’ misses mark on ranked choice voting.” Choosing to “Vote As Usual” by Andre Blais, Carolina Plescia, and Semra Sevi. New America. (Blais et al., 2021). This study, web-hosted and funded by New America’s Political Reform Program and its Electoral Reform Research Group, used two surveys in which respondents completed ballots for simulated elections using plurality, approval, RCV and point (Score) voting. In both cases the authors provided the respondents with only minimal explanation of each method. For example, the entire explanation for RCV was “For this vote, rank the candidates from your first to your last choice (you do not need to rank them all). This is called the ranked vote.” That’s it. The study did not provide any context or explanation to survey respondents about why she/he might want to rank multiple candidates. Participants were not even told that ballots would be tabulated using an “instant” runoff, not to mention any description of RCVs ability to eliminate the spoiler effect or liberate voters to rank their favorite candidates without fear of helping the “greater evil” candidate to win. That’s like taking an iPhone back in time to 1970 and asking someone if they like it better than their rotary phone without explaining how it works. Their first survey targeted states that held 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primaries and used the real candidates’ names in the survey; the second survey used fictitious candidates. In other words, they surveyed respondents who had only ever participated in plurality elections, had no history or background with using RCV or any of the other methods, had no clue about its likely impacts, and did not communicate how the alternative methods would be counted, and then asked them: “How satisfied are you with using each system?” Predictably, the winner was plurality elections, the system used for president, Congress, gubernatorial and state legislative elections – in other words, the method they have been using, year after year, all their voting lives. With so little explanation of RCV and its impacts, this study is simply not credible in discovering anything useful about real-world RCV elections. It merely shows that a basic voter education campaign is needed when adopting a new election system. Additionally, the result contradicts many other post-election surveys following real RCV elections, asking opinions from voters who had just participated in a RCV election, that showed a great deal of satisfaction with RCV (see details on that in Studies 22-25 in our paper, as well as the four studies cited in the review for Study 28). Share Other studies on “satisfaction” and “understanding” make similar mistakes, in terms of basing their surveys on inadequate explanation to respondents and lack of education about context. How could any survey ever hope to measure accurately, in essence simulate a real-world election, without actual campaigning candidates, the media writing about those candidates, organizations endorsing candidates and voters being inundated with crucial information? More than anything, what these “studies” based on surveys show is that if you ask voters about something they don’t know very much about, and fail to adequately educate them, their responses will unsurprisingly reflect their confusion. Equally puzzling is that New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group, headed by political scientist Lee Drutman, found this to be a credible enough study that they not only published it but highlighted it in Drutman’s own discussion of research related to ranked choice voting. This pattern was repeated in study after study featured by New America’s Electoral Reform Research Group. For example in Ranked-Choice Voting and Political Expression: Voter Guides Narrow the Gap between Informed and Uninformed Citizens by Cheryl Boudreau, Jonathan Colner, and Scott MacKenzie, the researchers based their analysis on a survey which found that respondents who were asked to vote in a simulated RCV election, with minimal explanation of RCV or how it works, displayed less evidence of being informed about how to use RCV effectively, with the least informed voters ranking fewer candidates. As pointed out under the study above, in a real election voters are informed by a wide variety of methods, including public education by the election administration, by interested political groups, the media, and the candidates themselves who benefit from voters being aware of how to vote in the new system. In Support for Ranked-Choice Voting across Race and Partisanship by Joseph Anthony, David C. Kimball, Jack Santucci and Jamil Scott, the researchers used respondents from different parties and races voting in simulated plurality and RCV elections, who indicated their satisfaction with each voting method. Instead of using real world election results, the authors fell back on the easy, armchair and less reliable academic research methodology of making up mock elections. As with the other studies, little explanation was given of how RCV works or what its implications might be (electing majority winners or eliminating spoilers, for example). Unsurprisingly, this study found that respondents were not very satisfied with RCV. However, when the authors added an explanation that RCV has a tendency to elect more women and people of color, they found that this greater explanation increased the preference for RCV. The more voters were familiar with it, and the more they understood potential positive impacts – surprise! -- the more they were open to switching away from the status quo. Of note, the results from this study are thoroughly contradicted by a number of other studies whose data was obtained from real RCV elections with real voters. Those studies show a great deal of satisfaction with RCV. More “fake election” research An interesting wrinkle on this “research by fake elections” approach, which only served to illustrate how unreliable such “research” can become, was taken in Ranked-Choice Voting, Runoff, and Democracy: Insights from Maine and Other U.S. States by Joseph Cerrone and Cynthia McClintock_,_ also web-hosted and funded by New America’s ERRG. It gets high marks for creativity, but an eye-roll for thinking this could possibly add anything meaningful to our understanding of real world RCV elections. This study tried to determine whether RCV, plurality or two-round runoff elections provided greater voter satisfaction and acceptance of election results. To determine that, the authors conducted a survey asking if voters were satisfied with a fictional newspaper report of an election, with three different versions given to respondents – plurality, runoff and RCV, with variations of Republican/Democrat winners and variations of “come-from-behind” winners,” i.e. candidates not initially in first place but who win the “runoff.” Again, a minimal explanation of RCV or how it works was given, and the survey showed that respondents had the greatest unfamiliarity with RCV than the other methods. The unsurprising result? Respondents were much more satisfied with “come-from-behind” victories in a traditional two-round runoff election than in RCV, even though RCV is also a runoff system but with a single round of counting. Interestingly, the dissatisfaction with RCV disappeared for those who were more familiar with RCV. In fact, among those respondents who were “very familiar” with RCV, they were equally satisfied with RCV, runoff and plurality. Surprise, surprise. Again, what this study revealed, more than anything, is not only the inadequacy of the explanation for RCV given by the authors of this study, but the failure of the research format itself, thinking that such an artificial mock election could somehow simulate what actually happens in the real world in a real RCV election. Those four studies reviewed above are fitting examples of inadequate and shaky political “science.” Other studies reviewed in our paper from the New America/Electoral Reform Research Group cohort which also used mock elections included: Ranked-Choice Voting is an Acquired Taste by Joseph Anthony and David C. Kimball. New America. (Anthony et al., 2021). Ranked-Choice Voting is No Refuge for Extreme Candidates by Melissa Baker. New America. (Baker, 2021). Also included in this New America cohort is Does Ranked-Choice Voting Reduce Racial Polarization? by Yuki Atsusaka and Theodore Landsman, which actually did use real-world election results data but applied an odd and unconventional methodology to the data which relied on shaky assumptions and non-real-world scenarios that were too divorced from reality. To determine levels of “racially polarized voting,” the researchers imagined “ethnic parties,” by which they mean political parties for each ethnic group, which was especially odd since the election data they were using came from nonpartisan RCV races. But then they made an even odder assumption, namely that since race and ethnic characteristics of studied voters were not available, the authors tried to infer that information based on who voters selected and the racial make-up of voters in each district. This amounted to little more than vague and ambiguous guesswork dressed up with a bunch of mathematical equations used to give it a veneer of scientific appearance. Indeed, it seemed to assume racial polarization in order to prove racial polarization. Based on this questionable methodology, the authors concluded that RCV doesn’t reduce racial polarization. But the premise of this study missed an obvious reality: since RCV incentivizes more candidates to run and can result in more diverse fields of candidates, one would expect more racially-polarized voting in voters’ top rankings, not less, because more voters would have someone on that ballot who represents their racial or ethnic identity and more freedom to vote for their real first choice. By encouraging more diverse candidates and eliminating the spoiler effect, RCV facilitates voting for a favorite candidate of your own race and then selecting a second choice with the best likelihood of winning. The real measure is what voters do with their additional rankings – do they consider other candidates and vote “for the best of the rest”? This study didn’t tell us anything useful about that. But readily available data shows this is common in real RCV elections, and candidates act on this knowledge by engaging with voters outside their racial group. So the authors of this study failed to consider or account for what actually happens in real-world elections, and their conclusions are tainted by this failure. New America has contributed a great deal over the past 2.5 decades to our understanding of many policy areas, including politics and political reform (full disclosure: Steven Hill, one of the authors of this article and of the “Shaky Political Science” research paper and series, is a former senior fellow and former director of New America’s political reform program, 2005-2010). So it was especially disappointing that New America funded and published such a large batch of dubious studies about ranked choice voting. The stated praiseworthy goal of its Electoral Reform Research Group was to inspire new academic research about ranked choice voting that would shed light and help the public better understand the impacts of RCV. Instead, the ERRG research did just the opposite. It produced dubious research that created more confusion and misinformation. In so doing, New America’s political reform program contributed to “shaky political science.” Steven Hill and Paul Haughey Share Upgrade to $5 subscription Thanks for reading DemocracySOS, a reader-supported digital portal for the pro-democracy movement. Subscribe for only $5 per month to receive full benefits and to support our work. Subscribe
More people started a business in Colorado last quarter than usual. They’re not all from here.
The 12.3% increase in new business filings is near an all-time record. The only time it was higher was when filing fees dropped to $1.
Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show: Monica Matteo-Salinas
🎙 Welcome to the Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show! 🌴 The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Business Beyond the Beach, the brand-new Chamber talk show created in partnership...
S.F. health dept. plans to cut managers, clinics and more. Here’s what you need to know.
Half of the proposed savings will come from axing 121 full-time staff positions, mostly managers. Nurses say it will impact their services.
🗞 Back pages: La Fábrica dreams, Haaland has Arsenal shaking...
After a weekend packed with football and news, Monday arrives with everything that happened and a preview of a week that will be key on the domestic front in Europe. Here are today’s newspaper front...
Scotland's papers: Starmer 'fights for his future' and child mental health crisis
A review of the front page stories from the daily newspapers in Scotland.
Explore maps of downtown Royals stadium: See size, entertainment district & more
These maps show where key elements could fall, including home plate, the outfield and a potential entertainment district modeled after developments like Wrigleyville in Chicago.
Scotland's papers: Edinburgh Uni student held in US and Scots declining health
A review of the front page stories from the daily newspapers in Scotland.
Effort to bridge divide between moderate, liberal Democrats in the Colorado legislature falls apart
A transparency bill sponsored by Opportunity Caucus leaders and progressives has stalled. In its place, a new bill, sponsored only by more progressive Democrats, was introduced Friday
Guardian Sports' protection efforts in growing flag football safety
During his interview with @EdEastonJr, Guardian Sports COO Jake Hanson discussed safety efforts in the growth of flag football
Open for Business: Relove and Rewind offers men’s, women’s modern and vintage pieces
The Frederick News-Post invites new storefront businesses in Frederick County to share details about themselves for our Open for Business feature that runs occasionally in the newspaper and online. Businesses
Jay Cheng resigns as head of wealthy S.F. political pressure group
The head of Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, one of the city's wealthiest political pressure groups, is out.
Scotland's papers: 'Catastrophic' A&E waits and unpaid business rates
A review of the front page stories from the daily newspapers in Scotland.
Men may be doubling their partner's risk of miscarriage with a single controversial habit
Why thousands of 2026 entertainment season workers are one accident away from financial disaster
Thimble reports that gig workers in the 2026 entertainment season face financial risk from accidents due to insufficient insurance coverage.
‘Indiana Jones Of Paleontology’ To Open Science Center For Teens In Washington Park
University of Chicago professor Paul Sereno hopes his space, Scitopia Chicago, inspires the next generation of scientists.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to stay in business under new nonprofit owner
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will live on past its slated May 3 closure date, thanks to a new deal with a nonprofit journalism organization.
Scientists discover the world's oldest 'octopus' fossil is a different 300-million-year-old critter
Mental health stressors peak in Colorado mountain communities as the winter-that-wasn’t melts into offseason
Demand for counseling is surging as mountain communities empty, costs rise and work ebbs. “It feels like tension is really high.”
Retro NYC video store marks booming first year in business – thanks to growing Gen-Z demand for VHS, DVDs
It’s been a blockbuster year for this Brooklyn shop! Night Owl Video, the Big Apple’s sole remaining video store, is ringing in its first year in business this weekend – and is already...
Reporter, Politics & Policy
We need an experienced, mission-driven reporter for a four-month stint to help us cover the 2026 election and the changing world of politics and policy.
Sunset Buzz: In a world of AI, Jay Pham says, consider an Irish sports bar
The Four Deuces, 2319 Taraval Street, has anchored the neighborhood for decades. The latest chapter comes with a change in ownership.
Colorado Springs’ mayor has a new chief of staff. It’s the guy he trounced in the election.
Mayor Yemi Mobolade on Thursday named Wayne Williams his chief of staff. Williams, a Republican who is Colorado’s former secretary of state, lost to Mobolade in the 2023 mayoral election.
Stifel cuts Flutter Entertainment stock price target on guidance miss
Stifel cuts Flutter Entertainment stock price target on guidance miss
BofA raises Sphere Entertainment stock price target on expansion
BofA raises Sphere Entertainment stock price target on expansion
VIDEO: Suspect steals checks from Upstate business drop box
Police officers in Clemson have asked the public for any information about a theft that occurred at a business early Monday morning.
Dick Vitale's tests show 'abnormalities' as ESPN legend gives latest health update
ESPN Hall of Fame broadcaster Dick Vitale shared that "some abnormalities" were found after a series of routine scans last week.
NYC bill would force Amazon to hire thousands of local delivery workers — sending customer bills soaring
Who is Dianna Russini? Meet the NFL sports journalist seen with Patriots coach Mike Vrabel
WSP-RC holds population health, wellness fair
Wasco State Prison-Reception Center (WSP-RC) held a health and wellness fair for the incarcerated population during the week of March 9-13.
Open for Business: House of Colour East Frederick
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show: Carlos Ventura, Regional Director for Encore
🎙 Welcome to the Business Beyond the Beach Talk Show! 🌴 The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is proud to present Business Beyond the Beach, the brand-new Chamber talk show created in partnership...
Natural disasters and political instability hampered U.S. museum attendance in 2025
The Art Newspaper's latest annual study of "the world's 100 most visited art museums" also reveals signs of modest growth.
How Haley and Hanna Cavinder 'struck while iron was hot' to create expansive business empire after NIL fame
Haley and Hanna, both 25, took The Post inside their busy world of being brand founders and business owners during a recent interview before they take the court for their first-ever live one-on-one...
The Blue Flame offers entertainment spot for UNH students despite age policy change
The independent student newspaper of New Hampshire University since 1911.
Silverman: How human error built some of Colorado’s greatest sports moments
New technology is embarrassing sports officials, but history shows Colorado teams benefiting from bad calls
John Elberling, combative S.F. nonprofit housing leader and political power player, dies at 79
The nonprofit leader helped preserve affordable housing in South of Market and shaped San Francisco politics for decades.
Phil Mickelson pulls out of 2026 Masters due to 'personal health matter'
The 2026 Masters Tournament will go on without two of the biggest names in golf.
NEED TO KNOW: Arts and culture news this week
What you need to know in arts and culture news this week.
Sports paper reveals figures! These are the Bundesliga top earners
French sports newspaper L'Équipe today estimated the gross salaries of the highest-paid Bundesliga players and coaches. Who do you think makes the most money per month? Coaches2. Kasper Hjulmand (Le...
Denmark’s unique political model is in crisis – I blame the boomerang effect
Voters rejected rule from the centre in last month’s election – but could end up with another centrist government, says Rune Lykkeberg, editor-in-chief of the Danish newspaper Information
Colorado business leaders are still negative about the future economy, though less so than last year
CU business school’s survey ranked geopolitical concerns as the top reason for feeling negative about the second quarter. Also: Use of AI at work is spreading.
FIU Alzheimer’s breakthrough advances to national finals of science competition ‘STAT Madness’
Representing FIU in this year’s STAT Madness finals is a research team from the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, led by Tomás R. Guilarte (right), dean of Stempel College,...
Spartanburg business announces closure after 6 years of service
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) — Burgers & Bakery in Spartanburg announced Monday that the restaurant will close its doors mid-summer. The establishment has been in operation for six years. The…
Spartanburg business announces closure after 6 years of service
SPARTANBURG, S.C. (WSPA) — Burgers & Bakery in Spartanburg announced Monday that the restaurant will close its doors mid-summer. The establishment has been in operation for six years. The closure is l...
University of Arizona warns fans about fake Final Four merchandise
Arizona is heading to its first Men's NCAA Tournament Final Four in 25 years, but fans are being warned to watch out for fake merch.
Haleiwa open for business as North Shore storm recovery continues
While people are urged to stay away from impacted neighborhoods, local business leaders stressed that Haleiwa town is open and that respectful support can help the community recover.
Head of Colorado’s Medicaid program resigns as state Senate was preparing to take “no confidence” vote
Kim Bimestefer’s resignation comes as the state Medicaid program has dealt with billing mistakes and scrutiny over past spending
Miami Marketing Leader Bruce Turkel Talks Branding, Business Growth, and Miami’s Evolution on “Localized Miami”
Movie Star Stumps for Entertainment Industry
Actor Noah Wyle joined Sen. Adam Schiff at a hearing on March 20 in Burbank examining challenges facing the American film and television industry, including foreign tax incentives and proposed
Local Newspaper Erodes Community Civic Fabric
The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa's local newspaper, recounts its decline from a community-rooted newsroom that covered a major 1987 grain-elevator explosion to a diminished operation today. Now owned by Gannett after GateHouse consolidation, the paper prints six days a week with only three reporters, outsources layout and printing, and runs syndicated content instead of local reporting. The loss of routine local coverage has eroded civic engagement and community ties.
Chattanooga Times Free Press
Chattanooga's only daily newspaper. Complete coverage of breaking news in Chattanooga, Other local, regional and national news. Classifieds and online marketplace.
Manufacturing company to move office from Carroll to Frederick business park
An Illinois-based technology and manufacturing company will move about 90 employees and an office in Carroll County to a business park near Frederick this fall.
Mike Pence To Speak At UChicago’s Institute Of Politics In April
Pence will participate in a student-moderated panel and is expected to speak about the role of the executive branch, populism and more.
Radio, TV, newspaper, digital: Women in regional media
Worcester Magazine's annual Women Making History special feature focuses on movers, shapers and thinkers in the region's news and entertainment media.
Bayview Buzz: Harvard Business School comes to 3rd St.
A Harvard Business School alumni group finds a new vision for the Third Street corridor. Plus, Cafe Melange reopens under new ownership.
S.F. public health boss: Hospital staff stopped stabbing, not sheriff
Daniel Tsai said in a private meeting that protocol failures led to a social worker's death, and contradicted sheriff's account of the incident.
How entertainment production hubs are creating new housing hotspots
NewHomeSource reports entertainment production hubs are driving housing demand by boosting local economies, attracting home buyers with modern amenities and community design.
Letters: Newspapers hold a position in our democracy, unlike any other business
I read with interest Duke Truby's viewpoint about a newspaper print medium being a "business" in the strictest sense. As such, that business should cater to its customers and clients.
Yankees set to leave Florida in good health one year after spring from hell with one question looming
And just like that, Camp Snooze is over — at least the Florida portion.
Shame on ABC for casting Taylor Frankie Paul on 'The Bachelorette' — they're getting what they deserve
The perfect amount of wine to drink to lower your risk of dying from heart disease by 21%
The surprising ways menopause can affect your mouth — and what you can do about it
“Loyal Slaves” and Campfire Entertainment in Frank Vizetelly’s Confederate Camp
Frank Vizetelly’s illustration titled “Night Amusements in the Confederate Camp” appeared in the Illustrated London News on January 10, 1863. It was one among a number of wartime scenes that Vizetelly captured for the newspaper. Subscribe Following the war, the illustration appeared in a number of books, including John O. Casler’s Four Years in the Stonewall Brigade (1893) and Campfires of the Confederacy (1898) by Ben La Bree. The scene depicts a Confederate camp at night with an enslaved man, most likely a camp servant, performing a dance around a fire with the music provided by a soldier playing a banjo. Another enslaved man looks on at the right. Vizetelly likely witnessed the scene—one that would have been common throughout the war. It’s a wonderful example of the way in which Confederates—slaveowners and nonslaveowners alike—experienced the presence of slave labor in the army. Vizetelly was deeply sympathetic to the Confederate cause. His depiction of the enslaved man as more than happy to entertain the very people who were fighting to keep him enslaved was precisely the kind of image designed to reassure a British audience that slavery was benign, and by implication, that Britain need not feel morally troubled about recognizing or supporting the Confederacy. Share Just as importantly, the sight of a dancing slave reassured Confederates themselves that the institution of slavery remained secure even after President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. I’ve come across this illustration many times before and I plan on using it in my next book project on the role of enslaved labor in the Confederate army during the Gettysburg Campaign, but this is not the reason I am sharing it with you today. It has to do with where I recently found it, which came as a complete surprise and is incredibly revealing. Let’s take a look.
NEED TO KNOW: Arts and culture news this week
What you need to know in arts and culture news this week.
Colorado voters will decide whether to ban trans kids from gendered sports, outlaw gender-affirming surgery for children
Voters will also be asked whether to make child sex trafficking punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole
Providing Medicaid to immigrants who are children or pregnant is costing Colorado 611% more than expected
The state predicts that the Covering All Coloradans program will cost Colorado $104.5 million in the fiscal year that began July 1. Nonpartisan fiscal analysts estimated the cost would be $14.7 million.
Miami’s Community Newspapers hosts Small Business Expo
Miami’s Community Newspapers, with the Miami-Dade Strategic Procurement Department, hosted a Small Business Expo in its South Miami offices on Tuesday, Feb. 17, attended by local government and...
Colorado effort to end credit card swipe fees on sales taxes is splitting businesses
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New book finds light in ‘Darkness’ of eco-terror, ski-town politics and 90s newspaper intrigue
“We Bring you an Hour of Darkness” by Michael Bourne is a fun, fast-paced thriller for fans of the mystery genre, especially readers who enjoy ski-town tales of enviro-terror, corporate corruption, shady land deals and...
Warlord On ‘Brink Of Ruin’ After Business Plummets Due To Former Chef’s Abusive Behavior: Lawsuit
Co-owners Emily Kraszyk and John Lupton are suing Trevor Fleming, claiming the former star chef’s conduct has resulted in $1.4 million in lost revenue for the Avondale restaurant. Fleming faces charges of sharing explicit photos of a woman without her consent.
Opinion: Colorado health care system should include food as medicine
Building a sustainable approach to chronic disease requires collaboration among health providers, nonprofits, policymakers, community partners.
ESPN Scoops Up Multiple Ex-Washington Post Sports Reporters
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Apollo to close acquisition of Atletico Madrid stake this week, says Expansion
U.S. fund Apollo's sports investment arm Apollo Sports Capital will close the acquisition of 55% of Spanish football club Atletico Madrid on March 12, Spanish newspaper Expansion said on Monday citing sources.
Inside major sports business exec's harrowing escape from Qatar after Iranian strikes: 'Truly frightening'
Sports are reaching once-unthinkable levels of insanity
Being a beneficent fellow, I to declare this Benefit of the Doubt Sunday.
Fighting to Protect the Entertainment Industry
For decades California has been the undisputed global epicenter of film and television production. Over the past several years, the volume of film and television production shooting in California has