The 1619 Project

**The 1619 Project** be a long-form journalistic historiographical work dat take a critical view of traditionally revered figures den events insyd American history, dey include de Patriots insyd de American Revolution, de Founding Fathers, along plus Abraham Lincoln den de Union during de Civil War. Ebe developed by Nikole Hannah-Jones, writers from *The New York Times*, den *The New York Times Magazine.* E dey focuse on subjects of slavery den de founding of de United States. De first publication from de project be insyd *The New York Times Magazine* of August 2019. De project developed an educational curriculum, supported by de Pulitzer Center, later accompanied by a broadsheet article, live events, den a podcast.

De project cam turn a leading subject of de American history wars, wey receive criticism from historians, both from de political left den de right, who question its historical accuracy. Insyd a letter published insyd *The New York Times* insyd December 2019, historians Gordon S. Wood, James M. McPherson, Sean Wilentz, Victoria E. Bynum, den James Oakes applauded "all efforts to address de enduring centrality of slavery and racism to our history" and deemed de project a "praiseworthy and urgent public service," but expressed "strong reservations" about some "important aspects" of de project and requested factual corrections. 

De scholars dem talk say no be true dat slavery  be de main thing wey start de  American Revolution, like de project talk. Insyd response, Jake Silverstein, de editor of *The New York Times Magazine*, defended De 1619 Project den refuse to issue corrections. On May 4, 2020, de Pulitzer Prize board announce dat e be awarding de 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary to Hannah-Jones for ein introductory essay.

Insyd March 2020, insyd light of persistent criticism of de project ein portrayal of de role of slavery, wey include from one of ein own consulting historians, Leslie M. Harris, *The New York Times* issued a "clarification", modifying one of de passages on slavery ein role dat had sparked controversy. Insyd September 2020, controversy again arose when de *Times* updated de opening text of de project website to remove de phrase "...understanding 1619 as our true founding..." without any accompanying editorial note to point to what be being redone.[a] Critics — wey include de *Times*' own Bret Stephens — claim de differences show dat de newspaper be backing away from some of de initiative ein controversial claims. De *Times* defended ein practices, plus Hannah-Jones saying dat most of de project ein content had remained unchanged.

Insyd 2020, *The New York Times* premier a dedicated podcast series. Insyd 2021, a book anthology of essays den poetry *The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story* be published, as well as a children ein picture book *The 1619 Project: Born on the Water* by Hannah-Jones den Renée Watson. Insyd January 2023, Hulu premier a six-part documentary TV series dey create by Hannah-Jones den *The New York Times Magazine*. Dis series win an Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series at de 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards.

## Background
De 1619 Project be launched insyd August 2019 to commemorate de 400th anniversary of de arrival of de first enslaved Africans insyd de British colony of Virginia. Insyd 1619, a group of "twenty and odd" captive Africans arrive insyd de Virginia Colony. An English privateer dey operate under a Dutch letter of marque, *White Lion*, carried 20–30 Africans who had been captured insyd joint African-Portuguese raids against de Kingdom of Ndongo insyd modern-day Angola, making ein landing at Point Comfort insyd de English colony of Virginia.

Although de project places dis moment insyd de context of slavery in the colonial history of de United States, some critics have taken issue. De first enslaved Africans dey bring to North America insyd 1526, den European enslavement of Native Americans has been documented as far back as Columbus insyd 1493–94.

## Project
De project dedicate an issue of de magazine to a re-examination of de legacy of slavery insyd America, at de anniversary of de 1619 arrival of de first enslaved people to Virginia. Dis framing challenges de idea dat American history dey begin de signing of de Declaration of Independence insyd 1776, which create de United States, or plus de arrival of de Pilgrims insyd 1620.

De project quickly grow into a larger endeavor, wey dey encompass multiple issues of de magazine, plus related materials insyd oda *Times* publications, as well as a school curriculum developed insyd collaboration plus de Pulitzer Center. Plus support from de Smithsonia, de project recruited a panel of historians to research, develop, den fact-check content. De project be envisioned plus de condition dat almost all of de content would be from African-American contributors, deeming de perspective of Black writers an essential element of de story to be told.

### August 18, 2019, magazine issue
De first edition appeared insyd a 100-page issue of *The New York Times Magazine* on August 18, 2019. E dey include ten written essays, a photo essay, den a collection of poems den fiction, plus an introduction by editor-in-chief Jake Silverstein, as follows:

* "Our Democracy ein Founding Ideals Were False When They Were Written. Black Americans Have Fought to Make Them True", essay by Nikole Hannah-Jones
* "American Capitalism Is Brutal. You Can Trace dat to de Plantation", essay by Matthew Desmond
* "How False Beliefs insyd Physical Racial Difference Still Live insyd Medicine Today", essay by Linda Villarosa
* "What de Reactionary Politics of 2019 Owe to de Politics of Slavery", essay by Jamelle Bouie
* "Why Is Everyone Always Stealing Black Music?", essay by Wesley Morris
* "How Segregation Caused Your Traffic Jam", essay by Kevin M. Kruse
* "Why Doesn't America Have Universal Healthcare? One Word: Race", essay by Jeneen Interlandi
* "Why American Prisons Owe Their Cruelty to Slavery", essay by Bryan Stevenson
* "De Barbaric History of Sugar insyd America", essay by Khalil Gibran Muhammad
* "How America's Vast Racial Wealth Gap Grew: By Plunder", essay by Trymaine Lee
* "Their Ancestors Were Enslaved by Law. Now They're Lawyers", photo essay by Djeneba Aduayom, plus text from Nikole Hannah-Jones den Wadzanai Mhute
* "A New Literary Timeline of African-American History", a collection of original poems den stories
** Clint Smith on de Middle Passage
** Yusef Komunyakaa on Crispus Attucks
** Eve L. Ewing on Phillis Wheatley
** Reginald Dwayne Betts on de Fugitive Slave Act of 1793
** Barry Jenkins on Gabriel ein Rebellion
** Jesmyn Ward on de Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves
** Tyehimba Jess on Black Seminoles
** Darryl Pinckney on de Emancipation Proclamation
** ZZ Packer on de New Orleans massacre of 1866
** Yaa Gyasi on de Tuskegee syphilis experiment
** Jacqueline Woodson on Sgt. Isaac Woodard
** Joshua Bennett on de Black Panther Party
** Lynn Nottage on de birth of hip-hop
** Kiese Laymon on de Rev. Jesse Jackson ein "rainbow coalition" speech
** Clint Smith on de Superdome after Hurricane Katrina

### Accompanying material den activities
De magazine issue be accompanied by a special section insyd de Sunday newspaper, insyd partnership plus de Smithsonian, examining de beginnings of de transatlantic slave trade, written by Mary Elliott den Jazmine Hughes. Beginning on August 20, a multi-episode audio series titled "1619" begin, published by *The Daily*, de morning news podcast of de *Times*. De Sunday sports section had an essay about slavery ein impact on professional sports insyd de United States: "Is Slavery ein Legacy in the Power Dynamics of Sports?" De *Times* plans to take de project to schools, plus de *1619 Project Curriculum* developed insyd collaboration plus de Pulitzer Center. Hundreds of thousands of extra copies of de magazine issue were printed for distribution to schools, museums den libraries.

De Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting dey make available free online lesson plans, dey collect further lesson plans from teachers, den help arrange for speakers to visit classes. De Center dey consider most of de lessons usable by all grades from elementary school thru college.

Insyd November 2021, Random House ein One World imprint published de anthology *The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story*. E be a book-length expansion of de project ein essays. De book be created by Nikole Hannah-Jones den *The New York Times Magazine*, den be edited by Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman den Jake Silverstein. Six of de essays from de anthology dey adapt into a six-episode miniseries, "The 1619 Project", wich dem premier on January 26, 2023, on Hulu.

## Reception

#### Historical accuracy
Insyd an essay for *The New York Review of Books*, historian Sean Wilentz accused de project of cynicism for ein portrayal of de American Revolution, de Civil War den Abraham Lincoln, who Wilentz write be "rendered as a white supremacist". Insyd a December 2019 letter dem publish insyd *The New York Times*, Wilentz, along plus fellow historians Gordon S. Wood, James M. McPherson, Victoria Bynum, den James Oakes expressed "strong reservations" about de project den requested factual corrections, accusing de authors of a "displacement of historical understanding by ideology". De letter disputed de claim, made insyd Hannah-Jones ein introductory essay, dat "one of de primary reasons de colonists dey decide to declare their independence from Britain be because they wanted to protect de institution of slavery". De *Times* published the letter along plus a rebuttal from de magazine ein editor-in-chief, Jake Silverstein, who defended de accuracy of de 1619 Project den declined to issue corrections. Wood responded insyd a letter, "I don't know of any colonist who said dat they wanted independence insyd order to preserve their slaves ... No colonist expressed alarm dat de mother country be out to abolish slavery insyd 1776." Insyd an article insyd *The Atlantic*, Wilentz responded to Silverstein, writing, "No effort to educate de public insyd order to advance social justice can afford to dispense plus a respect for basic facts", den disputing de accuracy of Silverstein ein defense of de project.

Sanso insyd December 2019, twelve scholars den political scientists specializing insyd de American Civil War dey send a letter to de *Times* saying dat "The 1619 Project offers a historically-limited view of slavery." While agreeing to de importance of examining American slavery, they objected to what they described as de portrayal of slavery as a uniquely American phenomenon, to construing slavery as a capitalist venture, den to presenting out-of-context quotes of a conversation between Abraham Lincoln den "five esteemed free black men". De following month, Silverstein dey issue a response stating dat no corrections be necessary.

Insyd January 2020, historian Susan Parker, wey specialize insyd de studies of Colonial United States at Flagler College, noted dat slavery existed before any of de Thirteen Colonies. She write insyd an editorial insyd *The St. Augustine Record* dat "De settlement known as San Miguel de Gualdape lasted for about six weeks from late September 1526 to de middle of November. Historian Paul Hoffman dey write that de slaves at San Miguel rebelled and set fire to some homes of the Spaniards." Writing insyd *USA Today*, several historians—among them Parker, archaeologist Kathleen A. Deagan sanso of Flagler, den civil rights activist den historian David Nolan—all agreed dat slavery be present decades before de year 1619. According to Deagan, people have "spend their careers trying to correct de erroneous belief" insyd such a narrative, plus Nolan claiming dat insyd ignoring de earlier settlement, de authors be "robbing black history".

Insyd March 2020, historian Leslie M. Harris, who had been consulted for de project, write insyd *Politico* dat she dey warn dat de idea dat de American Revolution was fought to protect slavery was inaccurate, den dat de *Times* made avoidable mistakes, but dat de project be "a much-needed corrective to de blindly celebratory histories". Hannah-Jones has sana say dat she stands by de claim dat slavery help fuel de revolution, though she concede she might have phrased it too strongly insyd ein essay, insyd a way dat could give readers de impression dat de support for slavery be universal. On March 11, 2020, Silverstein authored an "update" insyd de form of a "clarification" on de *Times*' website, correcting Hannah-Jones's essay to state dat "protecting slavery was a primary motivation for some of de colonists". Dis "clarification" be reportedly prompted by a private warning to Silverstein by Harvard classicist den political scientist Danielle Allen dat she might go public plus criticism if de passage on de revolution be not corrected.

Insyd December 2023, historian James Oakes dey write a detailed essay published insyd *Jacobin* dat criticized de historical accuracy of de project insyd multiple areas, stating dat it "has botched de history of de slave economy, misconstrued de origins of Northern economic development, erase de history of antislavery, den render emancipation irrelevant".

#### Response
Insyd September 2020, Nikole Hannah-Jones dey criticize conservatives for their depiction of de project because it "does not argue dat 1619 be our true founding". *Atlantic* writer Conor Friedersdorf dey respond on Twitter by citing statements from Hannah-Jones dat na 1619 be de nation ein true founding. Critics cite by *The Washington Post*, such as *Quillette* magazine, dey argue dat dis showed dat de *Times* was quietly revising ein position without acknowledgement of de original mischaracterization. De conservative National Association of Scholars publish a letter asking for de revocation of de project ein Pulitzer Prize.

Insyd an opinion column insyd de *New York Times*, Bret Stephens say dat Hannah-Jones say de argument about dating de founding to 1619 be self-evidently metaphorical, but say "these were not minor points. De deleted assertions dey go to de core of de project ein most controversial goal, 'to reframe American history by considering what e dey mean to regard 1619 as our nation ein birth year'", den argue, "De question of journalistic practices, however, raises deeper doubts about de 1619 Project ein core premises." Dis column led to tension insyd de *Times*, den prompted statements by *Times* executive editor Dean Baquet, publisher A. G. Sulzberger den *New York Times Magazine* editor Jake Silverstein insyd support of de 1619 Project. Responding to criticism, Hannah-Jones dey write on Twitter, "Those who've wanted to act as if tweets/discussions about de project hold more weight than de actual words of de project cannot be taken insyd good faith", den dat "Those who point to edits of digital blurbs but ignore de unchanged text of de actual project cannot be taken insyd good faith."

#### Motivations for de American Revolution
Significant controversy dey center on de project ein claim dat "one of de primary reasons de colonists decide to declare their independence from Britain be because they want to protect de institution of slavery". According to Princeton University professor Sean Wilentz, de claim dat there be a "perceptible British threat to American slavery insyd 1776" be an ahistorical assertion, noting dat de British abolitionist movement be practically non-existent insyd 1776. Wilentz sanso criticize de project ein mentioning de *Somerset v Stewart* case to support ein argument, since dat legal decision concern slavery insyd England, plus no effect insyd de American colonies. Wilentz write dat de project ein claims dat "if de Revolution had caused de ending of de slave trade, dis will have upended de economy of de colonies, insyd both de North den de South" do not consider de numerous attempts to outlaw—or impose prohibitive duties on—de slave trade by several colonies from 1769 to 1774. De historians critical of De project say dat many of America ein Founding Fathers, such as John Adams, James Otis, den Thomas Paine, opposed slavery. They sanso say dat every state north of Maryland took steps to abolish slavery after de revolution.

Insyd defense of de project, Silverstein say dat de *Somerset* case caused a "sensation" insyd American reports. But Wilentz counter dat de decision dey report by only six newspapers insyd de southern colonies, den de tone of de coverage be indifferent. Sanso at issue be de significance of Dunmore ein Proclamation as cited by Silverstein, plus Wilentz dey assert dat de event be a response to rebellion rather than a cause; he sanso question de reliance on a quotation by Edward Rutledge as interpreted by Jill Lepore. Harris dey sanso point to Dunmore's Proclamation as a spur to de disruption of slavery by de revolutionary side as well.

#### Journalistic reactions
De 1619 Project receive positive reviews by Alexandria Neason insyd de *Columbia Journalism Review* den by Ellen McGirt insyd *Fortune* magazine, which declare de project "wide-reaching den collaborative, unflinching, den insightful" den a "dramatic den necessary corrective to de fundamental lie of de American origin story."

Andrew Sullivan critique de project as an important perspective dat needed to be heard but dat was presented insyd a biased way under de guise of objectivity. Writing insyd *The Washington Post*, George Will call de project "malicious" den "historically illiterate." Writing insyd *The Week*, Damon Linker found de 1619 Project ein treatment of history "sensationalistic, reductionistic, den tendentious." Timothy Sandefur deemed de project ein goal as worthy, but observed dat de articles persistently went wrong trying to connect everything plus slavery. Insyd *National Review*, Phillip W. Magness write dat de project provides a distorted economic history borrowed from "bad scholarship" of de *New History of Capitalism* (NHC), den Rich Lowry write dat Hannah-Jones ein lead essay leaves out unwelcome facts about slavery, such dat ' e be Africans who captured oda Africans, den marched them to de coast to be sold to European slavers', smears de Revolution, distorts de Constitution,  misrepresents de founding era and Lincoln. Victor Davis Hanson say dat de 1619 Project reveals dat *The New York Times* "does not care about de truth" den instead "hires den promotes ein reporters den editors on woke - race den gender - criteria rather than proven reporting excellence."

Insyd de May 2022 issue of de libertarian magazine *Reason*, reporter Phillip W. Magness criticize de 1619 Project as "junk history." Magness contrasted de present work of Hannah-Jones plus past work at historical understanding of slavery by prominent African-Americans such as Zora Neale Hurston. Magness stated:

#### Political reactions
De project receive varied reactions from political figures. Then-Democratic Senator Kamala Harris praised it insyd a tweet, stating "De #1619Project be a powerful den necessary reckoning of our history. We cannot understand den address de problems of today without speaking truth about how we got here."

  High-profile conservatives criticize it. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich called it "brainwashing" den "propaganda," later writing an opinion piece characterizing it as "left-wing propaganda masquerading as 'de truth. Republican Senator Ted Cruz sana dey equate it plus propaganda. President Donald Trump, insyd an interview on Fox News plus Chris Wallace, dey say,

I just look at—I look at school. I watch, I read, look at de stuff. Now they want to change—1492, Columbus discovered America. You know, we grew up, you grew up, we all did, that ein what we learned. Now they want to make it de 1619 project. Where did dat come from? What does it represent? I don't even know.

Insyd July 2020, Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas proposed de "Saving American History Act of 2020", prohibiting K-12 schools from using federal funds to teach curriculum related to de 1619 Project, den make schools dat did ineligible for federal professional-development grants. Cotton added dat "The 1619 Project be a racially divisive den revisionist account of history dat threatens de integrity of de Union by denying de true principles on which it be founded." On September 6, 2020, Trump dey respond on Twitter to a claim dat de State of California dey add de 1619 Project to de state ein public school curriculum. Trump stated dat de Department of Education dey investigate de matter den, if de aforementioned claim be found true, federal funding would be withheld from California public schools.. On September 17, Trump announced de 1776 Commission to develop a "patriotic" curriculum.

Insyd October 2020, de National Association of Scholars, a conservative advocacy group, published an open letter plus 21 signatories calling on de Pulitzer Prize Board to rescind Hannah-Jones ein prize because of de project ein claim dat "protecting de institution of slavery be a primary motive for de American Revolution, a claim for which there be simply no evidence."

Insyd November 2020, Trump established de 1776 Commission by executive order, organizing 18 conservative leaders to generate an opposing response to de 1619 Project. De 1776 Report, release on January 18, 2021, be widely criticized for factual errors, incomplete or missing citations, den lack of academic rigor. De commission be terminated by President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021.

On April 30, 2021, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell send a letter to Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona dey protest de Department of Education ein proposal to modify federal grants to states den local schools to "incentivize them to use tools like Te 1619 Project insyd their classrooms"  demanding dat de proposal be abandoned. McConnell ein letter charged dat de programs were being modified "away from their intended purposes toward a politicized den divisive agenda" den say dat "Actual, trained, credentialed historians plus diverse political views dey debunk de project ein many factual den historical errors."

De World Socialist Web Site dey criticize de *New York Times* "falsification of history", saying dat it wrongly centers on racial rather dan class conflict.

#### Awards
Project creator Nikole Hannah-Jones be awarded de 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary for ein essay. De award cited ein "sweeping, provocative den personal essay for de ground-breaking 1619 Project, which seek to place de enslavement of Africans at de center of America ein story, prompting public conversation about de nation ein founding den evolution."

Insyd October 2020, New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute named de 1619 Project one of de ten greatest works of journalism insyd de 2010–2019 decade.

### Bans
Donald Trump, insyd de final months of ein first term as president of de United States, dey vow to ban de 1619 Project from state curricula, accusing educators of teaching their students to "hate their own country." Echoing Trump ein proposal, Republican lawmakers sana sought to ban de project from state curricula; bills were introduced by US Senator Tom Cotton at de federal level, by State Representative Mark Lowery insyd Arkansas, by State Representative Skyler Wheeler insyd Iowa, den by Senator Angela Burks Hill insyd Mississippi. By de end of de summer of 2021, 27 states had introduced bills echoing de language den intent of Cotton ein bill.

Under Ron DeSantis, de 1619 Project be banned from being taught insyd Florida public schools, first by a 2021 Florida State Board of Education amendment banning critical race theory den again insyd 2022 by de Stop WOKE Act.

## References


## Read further
* Gordon-Reed, Annette; Stremlau, Rose; Lowery, Malinda; Reed, Julie L.; Barker, Joanne; Sharfstein, Daniel; Scott, Daryl Michael; Wulf, Karin; Greene, Sandra E.; Sweet, James H.; Troutt Powell, Eve M.; Schine, Rachel; Mikhail, Alan; Edwards, Erika Denise; Williams, Danielle Terrazas (2022). "". *The American Historical Review*. **127** (4): 1792–1873.
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## External links

*Official website
* Print edition (2019 August). *The New York Times Magazine*.
* Podcast series (2019 August–October).
* "The 1619 Project Sparks Dialogue and Reflection in Schools Nationwide." Pulitzer Center (December 20, 2019).
* "Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting: 2019 Annual Report Archived July 7, 2021, at the Wayback Machine." Pulitzer Center (2020).