The 1619 Project is a series of essays originally published in the New York Times. The project aims to tell a fuller and more honest story of American history by focusing on slavery and the contributions of Black Americans. It is named after 1619 when the first enslaved Africans arrived in the United States. This project challenges how history is taught, which often highlights the Founding Fathers and the independence movement in 1776. It argues that the impact of slavery has shaped many aspects of American life, including politics, economics, culture, and democracy. The project shows how Black Americans have fought for freedom and equality, even when denied those rights.
The project includes the following topics:
Democracy – Nikole Hannah-Jones
Argues that Black Americans have been the driving force in expanding democracy, even while being denied full rights.
Sugar – Khalil Gibran Muhammad
Examines how sugar plantations were central to the economy and how labor exploitation continued beyond slavery.
Capitalism & Slavery – Matthew Desmond
Explores how plantation slavery shaped American capitalism and labor practices, laying the foundation for economic inequality.
Traffic and Segregation – Kevin M. Kruse
Examines how urban planning and highway development in cities like Atlanta were shaped by segregationist policies.
Medical Inequality – Linda Villarosa
Investigates how systemic racism has led to disparities in medical care and health outcomes for Black Americans.
The Racial Wealth Gap – Trymaine Lee
Examines how systemic policies, including redlining and economic discrimination, have led to persistent racial wealth inequality in America.
The Prison System – Bryan Stevenson
Explains how slavery evolved into mass incarceration and racial disparities in the justice system.
Black Music – Wesley Morris
Explores how Black music, created under oppression, has become a foundation of artistic freedom and a cultural force often appropriated by others.
The 1619 Project won the Pulitzer Prize, a top award in journalism, but it also sparked debate. Some critics, including historians, questioned its claims, making it a political topic. Some lawmakers banned critical race theory (CRT) in schools, even though CRT is mainly taught at the college level. As of 2021, 18 states had passed laws limiting CRT or similar topics.
President Donald Trump also responded by creating the 1776 Commission to promote a traditional view of U.S. history. On January 29, 2025, Trump issued an Executive Order limiting federal funding for schools that teach “discriminatory equity ideology.” This includes any material that suggests systemic racism is built into the U.S. or that people should feel responsible for past injustices based on race. Schools can still talk about racism, but they must do so in a way that fits the order’s idea of “patriotic education,” which focuses on America’s progress toward equality.
Watch the 1619 documentary on Hulu.