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The Long, Troubled History Of "America First"

Harris.news/Wikimedia

Donald Trump was far from the first person to use the phrase "America First."  And the history of the phrase explains why many people shuddered at its return. 

"America First" has often been entangled with white supremacy and authoritarianism, and has had a troubled relationship with other philosophies of American society and governance. 

Sarah Churchwell digs into those philosophies in the book Behold, America: The Entangled History of "America First" and "the American Dream".  The author, a Chicago native now living in London, visits with details.

 

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Geoffrey Riley is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has hosted the Jefferson Exchange on JPR since 2009. He's been a broadcaster in the Rogue Valley for more than 35 years, working in both television and radio.