CapaCapa
Scan Sign in
Cover of The 1619 Project

The 1619 Project

A New Origin Story

Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson, Nikkolas Smith

Ages 12–18

Readers rate it 4.6 (56 on Hardcover)

400 pages · Released Nov 16, 2021

Content report card

The 1619 Project parent’s guide: what’s inside

High confidence

LGBTQ+ themes

Substance use

What it offers

A note for parents

This is a historically important but emotionally demanding work that reframes American history by centering slavery and its ongoing legacy. The book contains descriptions of slavery's violence and suffering, mature historical content, and some harsh language reflecting historical realities and contemporary discussions. It is best suited for teenagers with some historical literacy who are ready to engage with difficult topics, though mature middle-schoolers with family support could benefit; it is not appropriate for younger children.

Analyzed by AI · 1 month ago

Read it with your kids?

Rate it and suggest an age to help other parents.

Log in to review

From the publisher

"The animating idea of The 1619 Project is that our national narrative is more accurately told if we begin not on July 4, 1776, but in late August of 1619, when a ship arrived in Jamestown bearing a cargo of twenty to thirty enslaved people from Africa. Their arrival inaugurated a barbaric and unprecedented system of c... "The animating idea of The 1619 Project is that our national narrative is more accurately told if we begin not on July 4, 1776, but in late August of 1619, when a ship arrived in Jamestown bearing a cargo of twenty to thirty enslaved people from Africa. Their arrival inaugurated a barbaric and unprecedented system of 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 country's very origin. The 1619 Project tells this new origin story, placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of the story we tell ourselves about who we are as a country. Orchestrated by the editors of The New York Times Magazine, led by MacArthur "genius" and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, this collection of essays and historical vignettes includes some of the most outstanding journalists, thinkers, and scholars of American history and culture--including Linda Villarosa, Jamelle Bouie, Jeneen Interlandi, Matthew Desmond, Wesley Morris, and Bryan Stevenson. Together, their work shows how the tendrils of 1619--of slavery and resistance to slavery--reach into every part of our contemporary culture, from voting, housing and healthcare, to the way we sing and dance, the way we tell stories, and the way we worship. Interstitial works of flash fiction and poetry bring the history to life through the imaginative interpretations of some of our greatest writers. The 1619 Project ultimately sends a very strong message: We must have a clear vision of this history if we are to understand our present dilemmas. Only by reckoning with this difficult history and trying as hard as we can to understand its powerful influence on our present, can we prepare ourselves for a more just future"--

Shelved under

  • United states, history
  • nyt:combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction=2021-12-05
  • New York Times bestseller
  • Slavery
  • History
  • African Americans
  • Race relations
  • Civilization
  • Political aspects
  • 1619 Project
  • informative
  • challenging

Share this guide

ISBN 9780593230572 · One World

We use cookies to keep you signed in and for anonymous usage stats. No ad tracking. Privacy