An American Journey: 2. A More Perfect Union

About this episode

James Naughtie explores the connections between America's founding ideals and modern identity through various historical and cultural lenses.

James Naughtie continues his look at the ideas tying America's founding to the modern United States, as he looks at what it means to be an American. In Chicago, he joins the Columbus Day parade - an exuberant celebration of Italian-American identity - and hears about the Great Migration of African Americans from the South to northern cities like Chicago. In Wisconsin, he visits the birthplace of the Republican Party, and in Ohio the Governor shows him the spot where Abraham Lincoln heard he had been formally confirmed as President-Elect. James considers how the social movements of the 1960s moved the centre of gravity of American politics from economic to social issues, with all that meant for political polarisation. Producer: Giles Edwards

People in this episode

Host: James Naughtie

Topics covered

• American identity
• political history
• social movements
• polarization
• Great Migration
• Republican Party

Keywords

• American journey
• Columbus Day
• Italian-American identity
• political polarization
• social issues
• Great Migration
• Republican Party
• Abraham Lincoln

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Republican Party

Places: Chicago, Wisconsin, Ohio

More episodes of Understand

• Rinsed: 10. New Tricks · June 8, 2026 · 18 min
• Rinsed: 9. Vultures · June 8, 2026 · 16 min
• Rinsed: 8. Sorry? · June 1, 2026 · 15 min
• Rinsed: 7. The Eureka Moment · June 1, 2026 · 16 min
• Rinsed: 6. The Lion's Cage · May 25, 2026 · 16 min
• Rinsed: 5. The Camel's Humps · May 25, 2026 · 15 min