Robert Parkinson

Robert Parkinson, an Assistant Professor of History at Binghamton University and author of *The Common Cause*, dives into how Revolutionary leaders united thirteen diverse colonies into a shared identity. He discusses the evolution of the 'Common Cause,' emphasizing how early propaganda shifted from positive to fear-based wartime messaging. Parkinson reveals the role of newspapers in spreading these narratives, often leaning on race and exclusion, and assesses their long-term impact on American perceptions of race and national identity.