The 1619 Project - Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine, Caitlin Roper, Ilena SIlverman & Jake Silverstein

The 1619 Project

By Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine, Caitlin Roper, Ilena SIlverman & Jake Silverstein

  • Release Date: 2021-11-16
  • Genre: U.S. History
Score: 3.5
3.5
From 594 Ratings

Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NAACP IMAGE AWARD WINNER • A dramatic expansion of a groundbreaking work of journalism, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story offers a profoundly revealing vision of the American past and present.

“[A] groundbreaking compendium . . . bracing and urgent . . . This collection is an extraordinary update to an ongoing project of vital truth-telling.”—Esquire
 
NOW AN EMMY-WINNING HULU ORIGINAL DOCUSERIES • FINALIST FOR THE KIRKUS PRIZE • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, NPR, Esquire, Marie Claire, Electric Lit, Ms. magazine, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist

In late August 1619, a ship arrived in the British colony of Virginia bearing a cargo of twenty to thirty people stolen from Africa. Their arrival led to the barbaric and unprecedented system of American chattel slavery that would last for the next 250 years. This is sometimes referred to as the country’s original sin, but it is more than that: It is the source of so much that still defines the United States.

The New York Times Magazine’s award-winning 1619 Project issue reframed our understanding of American history by placing slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our national narrative. This book substantially expands on that work, weaving together eighteen essays that explore the legacy of slavery in present-day America with thirty-six poems and works of fiction that illuminate key moments of oppression, struggle, and resistance. The essays show how the inheritance of 1619 reaches into every part of contemporary American society, from politics, music, diet, traffic, and citizenship to capitalism, religion, and our democracy itself.

This book that speaks directly to our current moment, contextualizing the systems of race and caste within which we operate today. It reveals long-glossed-over truths around our nation’s founding and construction—and the way that the legacy of slavery did not end with emancipation, but continues to shape contemporary American life.

Featuring contributions from: Leslie Alexander • Michelle Alexander • Carol Anderson • Joshua Bennett • Reginald Dwayne Betts • Jamelle Bouie • Anthea Butler • Matthew Desmond • Rita Dove • Camille T. Dungy • Cornelius Eady • Eve L. Ewing • Nikky Finney • Vievee Francis • Yaa Gyasi • Forrest Hamer • Terrance Hayes • Kimberly Annece Henderson • Jeneen Interlandi • Honorée Fanonne Jeffers • Barry Jenkins • Tyehimba Jess • Martha S. Jones • Robert Jones, Jr. • A. Van Jordan • Ibram X. Kendi • Eddie Kendricks • Yusef Komunyakaa • Kevin M. Kruse • Kiese Laymon • Trymaine Lee • Jasmine Mans • Terry McMillan • Tiya Miles • Wesley Morris • Khalil Gibran Muhammad • Lynn Nottage • ZZ Packer • Gregory Pardlo • Darryl Pinckney • Claudia Rankine • Jason Reynolds • Dorothy Roberts • Sonia Sanchez • Tim Seibles • Evie Shockley • Clint Smith • Danez Smith • Patricia Smith • Tracy K. Smith • Bryan Stevenson • Nafissa Thompson-Spires • Natasha Trethewey • Linda Villarosa • Jesmyn Ward

Reviews

  • Can’t Believe This Is Still For Sale

    1
    By BericDondarrion1
    This book has proven to be rife with historical liberties and inaccuracies penned on purpose to perpetrate a narrative. This is not history—it’s not even revisionist history. It’s just lies.

  • Great Book!

    5
    By WNBIII
    I’m going to make sure my kids get there Black History from books like this! I can tell within 20 second of a conversation if someone is getting their views on the Black community from sociologist and anthropologist, or if their view come from Tv, radio, and internet. A lot of peoples views on Black Folks have been distorted by their social media addiction.

  • Don't listen to the one-star review. Awesome book

    5
    By dj mohave
    Awesome book. Love to learn history, especially the stuff I didn't learn in school.

  • A Needed Perspective

    5
    By RoamingRunner89
    History happens when people make decisions and when later people interpret those actions. Often, looking back at events, people, and actions comes into clarity in new ways because different perspectives are brought to light to help give a clearer understanding. There is no one history, just like there is no one person that understands all perspectives. This is another perspective that helps us in the present look back at history with more information. This book and its theis, is unique, well researched and well presented. Its presents a necessary perpsepective that helps one wrestle with the issues of our own time. This is a project not a diffinitive end, just as history is about relooking at history as new information is presented. I thank the authors of this project for presenting these ideas and perspectives that help give more nuance and dimensionality to and for USA History.

  • Affirmative action

    1
    By muh copter
    The removal meritocratic systems which stem from the beginnings of mans evolution into political units leads to trash like this. I am not defender of America or any tyrannical State but it does not help to have dunces put out creative history. Read Lysander Spooner if you want an indictment of the American system.

  • Instant purchase

    5
    By MikesterAZ
    It’s the duty of every American to process these truths. Nobody is saying we’re guilty for the past, but no one can deny we’re responsible for the future. Be the justice our nation claims to stand for. Read this book.

  • A ridiculous book

    1
    By Jay Faubion
    A ridiculous version of American history based in critical race theory. If you like walking in dog feces, then this book might appeal to you.

  • The 1619 Project is essential reading

    5
    By steelcitychick
    This is such an important book to take in at this point in our country’s history. The contributors are incredible authors, bringing viewpoints, not taught in our standard American history class. The book is well researched, with an extensive bibliography, and important themes that all Americans need to read and digest. And, ultimately, we must act. I feel that if Americans forward to read this book, and if we could have conversations and put this into our national consciousness and discussion, our country would progress towards true enlightenment with equality and justice for all.

  • Enlightening American History

    5
    By Ken Powe
    This book tells the untold stories and under-told stories of researched and documented historical fact through narrative, pictures and verse. I appreciated the books use of different voices to reconstruct aspects of historical truth that were intentionally omitted and suppressed to this day. I now have a new respect for those who continue to fight for equality in the face of overwhelming resistance from those in politics and those who are sadly resigned to apathy.

  • Don’t listen to the 1-star bigots

    5
    By spinklemorph
    This book is incredible, thoroughly researched, and TRUE. The very fact that angry racists are calling it lies and trying to tank the rating just proves how much we need this right now.

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