The Bethlehem Project: American identity after 250 years
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What is the Bethlehem block party and why was it chosen to explore American identity?
I'm standing on Main Street in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania for the America 250 Bethlehem Block Party. And this is really a classic American downtown Main Street. There's old buildings, there's brick sidewalks, and it's a really beautiful summer Sunday. People are out enjoying the nice weather, going to different booths from local businesses.
There's a live band down the street from here.
I went to this block party because I wanted to know, how are people viewing their American identity? It's been 250 years since the founding of this country, and we are living in such a politically divided time. Do we have a shared national identity? What are three words that you would use to define America?
Oh boy.
Rich. Opportunity.
Land of the free.
Challenging.
Conflicted. Fight. Diversity. And hopeful.
I'm Sonia Hudson, and this is The Bethlehem Project, the series where we look at U.S. economic and political issues through the lens of one city.
In two miles, take the Pennsylvania 378 south exit toward Bethlehem. Bethlehem.
Bethlehem. Bethlehem. Bethlehem. Bethlehem. I'm from Bethlehem.
Growing up, I thought Bethlehem was just like your average small town. Recently, though, I've realized we're really in the center of a lot of things.
In this episode, we're going to hear interviews with three different people at the Bethlehem block party about what America means to them. We'll hear where they differ and where they overlapped.
Why did you decide to come out here today?
It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, and Bethlehem's a cool little town to come check out.
That's Kathy Schwartz. When I came up to talk to her, she was wearing a tie-dye tank top and black sunglasses, and she was walking with her friend. Do you live in Bethlehem or nearby? I live in Jim Thorpe, another cool town to check out. You know, we're 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. How are you kind of viewing this celebration of a nation in 2026?
So I think it's amazing. Earlier this year, you didn't hear much about it, but then people started getting the flags, just really got into it.
How does the host frame the 250th anniversary amid political division?
So there's major history there. I grew up walking the Freedom Trail every year, so I really understood it. My family was also military. My dad was in Vietnam, my uncle was in Korea. They were both Marines, and my brother was in the Air Force for 10 years, and I served in the Navy for three.
Big military history in your family. How does that impact how you view your identity as an American?
I guess I'm protective of it. I think fundamentally, if we all appreciate the freedoms and the logic that was laid out in the Declaration of Independence all those years ago, and we work together on that, I think it would still be great.
How do you feel like things are going in that pursuit right now?
I mean, it's an exciting time. There's a lot of patriotism. There's a lot of angst, right, because of the war with Iran and how that's going and how it's impacting people get frustrated by that. I get it. But for me, it's like, you know, if we're going to be that beacon of freedom, then we need to defend it where it's being challenged and where it could, frankly, spill over into our own country. How would you define America? I still think it's very much the melting pot. It might not be the melting pot 100% on the different nations, but more of a melting pot of ideas and... You know, a lot of that is scary. It's just scary for me.
What are some of those ideas or things that are a little bit scary for you?
I mean, and I'm no expert, but from what I read, some of the comments that come out of New York City's new mayor, for example, and just, yeah, I guess other politicians like just kind of going that like communist socialist route. and I just I don't know if people have the whole I don't have the whole story it's a complicated history because it's you know people get upset about what they think they don't have but they don't take the time to or maybe they do I don't know like learn what it really means in other countries where they point and they say oh we should be like them it's like
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Chapters
4 chapters
1
What is the Bethlehem block party and why was it chosen to explore American identity?
0:02–2:59
2
How does the host frame the 250th anniversary amid political division?
2:59–9:53
3
Why did Kathy Schwartz come to the block party and how does her military background shape her patriotism?
9:53–16:33
4
How does Kathy describe the melting pot and which ideas about America worry her?
16:33–19:46