Book Says Our Political Divisions Started in a Specific Year — 1974

Historian Julian E. Zelizer, co-author of “Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974,” joins Detroit Today.

Princeton University

If you had to name the year that America became so divided that liberal and conservative, black and white, rich and poor Americans could barely stand to speak with one another, what year would you choose?

A new book says it’s a specific year: 1974.

In “Fault Lines: A History of the United States Since 1974,” authors Julian Zelizer and Kevin Kruse say our current disagreements have their roots in the cynical politics of the Nixon era.

Zelizer joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to talk about what happened that year, and how that moment in time shapes our modern political discourse.

Click on the audio player above to hear the conversation.

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    Dynamic and diverse voices. News, politics, community and the issues that define our region. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Stephen Henderson, Detroit Today brings you fresh and perceptive views weekdays at 9 am and 7 pm.