Creator Nikole Hannah-Jones Explains Why ‘The 1619 Project’ Docu-Series Is Essential American History

“It’s impossible to understand the story of America without understanding the story of slavery and Black Americans,” says Nikole Hannah-Jones.

The journalist created The 1619 Project, a series of essays that reframes our country's history by showcasing how the contributions of Black Americans shaped our national narrative. Hannah-Jones was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize in 2020 for her work on the project. The essays were also the subject of a podcast in 2020, and released in book form in 2021.

The 1619 Project takes its name from the year in which the first enslaved Africans were brought to mainland British America.