Nikole Hannah-Jones spoke at the University of Chicago's Institute of Politics on Monday, October 7, 2019 about her revolutionary project for The New York Times, 1619.
To an audience of students, professors, and other professionals, Hannah-Jones explained how the challenges she faced since high school led her to journalism and eventually to spearhead the 1619 Project.
Hannah-Jones dives deep into the process of the special project's creation, which meant recruiting academics and social activists to unravel the lasting legacy of slavery in a way that emphasized the centrality of oppression even today. Through explanations and examples of how systems in the United States remain rooted in slavery, the author invites us to challenge the stories that surround and inform our everyday lives.
The Pulitzer Center was selected as the education partner for the 1619 Project, and has since designed original curricular materials and worked to bring project contributors to schools and universities across the country.