In 1619, 20 Black slaves arrived in the British North American colonies. They would be subject to the first of several generations of injustice and suffering toward Black people. These foundations of Black slavery would then build a country from the ground up, in which Black folk were used and abused to further the development of democracy, medical science and the United States economy.
Nikole Hannah-Jones is an avid reporter on racial injustice and an advocate of Black voices in the United States, uplifting them whenever she has the opportunity to do so. Knowing how much Black voices tend to be suppressed in the United States, she put together several essays of her own, along with those from her colleagues, to relay information we’ve known for decades regarding how much Black people have contributed to making the United States of America what it is today. That essay collection is “The 1619 Project.”
Now that a few years have passed since its release, Hannah-Jones partnered with Hulu to make a documentary series by the same name about the essay topics covered in the novel, such as democracy, capitalism, fear and justice. Regarding the intent of the documentary to put a spotlight on slavery’s impact on individual aspects integral to the United States, it was incredibly successful in doing so. The docuseries “The 1619 Project” is an absolute necessity for Americans to watch and understand so as to not forget why Black people in the United States continue to fight for voting rights, equal representation and the diminishment of racism.
The documentary covers several important issues involving Black citizens by interviewing members of key political movements and modern groups working to promote democracy in the U.S. The most integral information presented was shown in the pilot episode “Democracy,” as Hannah-Jones not only explains her personal experiences recording Black people’s fight for civil justice, but also the stories of others fighting for the same thing (and it will be the focus of this contribution).
One of the most striking sections involves an interview with former member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee MacArthur Cotton, who commented on the intentions of the government to prevent Black people in Mississippi from voting. Cotton, a man nearing his 80s at the time of the interview, spoke about how he was jailed and tortured by the Mississippi forces when he was a teenager, putting the timeline of American history in a far more bleak perspective. Another key interview covered the recent work of the Georgia Youth Coalition to help elderly citizens vote in the Georgia elections. Knowing this is such a recent and active organization only emphasizes the degree to which citizens must be involved in political pursuits. Finally, the documentary offers a reminder that many marginalized communities in the United States have Black Americans in the 1800s to thank for pushing for equal voting rights and citizenship for all America-born citizens, no matter how systemically they may be discriminated against.
“The 1619 Project” is especially powerful not only due to the subject matter but because of the historical context and interviews with real people who experienced everything Hannah-Jones touches on. She does her best to make everything she discusses feel real and reminds her viewers that everything she talks about is happening right now. It adds a sense of urgency to the topic at hand, something that is necessary and admirable considering how often one may find themself detached from politics and racial injustice of the past no matter how connected they may be to it today.
Whether one is aware of it or not, injustice is constantly threatening every marginalized community. It is integral to remember that despite the bubbled communities with which one can surround themself, consistent reminders of the dire situation many Americans find themselves in push the public to fight for better voting conditions, make more informed votes and learn to care more about their local governments. “The 1619 Project” is nothing if not a call to action, a siren telling all those fortunate enough to be able to watch it just how much more work the United States has left to do to make things right and equal for one another.
Daily Arts Contributor Adaeze Uzoije can be reached at auzoije@umich.edu.