Produced by Lionsgate Television and released on Hulu in 2023, this is a trailer for the documentary series based on the ‘1619 Project’–a longform journalism project by the New York Times first published in 2019. In the series, journalist and creator, Nikole Hannah-Jones offers a counter-narrative of U.S. history rooted in the legacy of slavery. 

discussion

Why is 1619 an important year to highlight in US history? And how does it relate to Black American heritage?

What do you think Hannah-Jones meant by “no people had a greater claim to the American flag than we do”?

Why does Hannah-Jones begin with first person narration? And how does she use her voice over and the mixture of personal story with interviews and poetic reenactments to make her argument?

Each of the six episodes focuses on a different facet of Black life in the U.S., including “Democracy,” “Race,” “Music,” “Capitalism,” “Fear,” and “Justice.” What do you think are some of the stories that might be included in these episodes? What stories do you think are important to tell about US history and society?