Nikole Hannah-Jones interviews renowned reparations scholar Dr. William’ Sandy’ Darity Jr. (Screenshot: Hulu)
Renowned reparations scholar Dr. William’ Sandy’ Darity Jr. will be featured in Hulu’s upcoming film adaptation of Nikole Hannah-Jones’ award-winning journalistic work, “The 1619 Project.”
A trailer for the namesake six-part docuseries shows Hannah-Jones interviewing Darity about reparations and the amount of the debt owed to Black Americans.
“You are calling for reparations. What is the total that will be owed,” Hannah says to Darity in the trailer. He responds, “13 trillion dollars.” She replies, “That’s a big number. Big debt, though.” Darity agrees and says, “It is a big debt.”
One Twitter user expressed excitement about Darity being in the series and said his appearance as an expert influenced him to watch it.
“I wasn’t sure about this because…well…obvious reasons. However, I’m glad to see @SandyDarity in here, and that gives it a level of credence and levity that makes this a worthwhile watch,” @TheJAlston tweeted.
“I haven’t seen it yet so I’m waiting to see the editing decisions,” Darity replied to @TheJAlston, who, in turn, said regardless of how the editing was, he is glad “The 1619 Project” included Darity as the reparations expert of choice.
“No matter the route they chose, I’m glad you were there to be THE figure talking about reparations,” @TheJAlston wrote. “Some people are so devoid of historical, social, or political grounding when it comes to our reparations claim; I’m glad a sound, grounded vantage will be presented to the world.”
Darity is one of the foremost experts on reparations for Black Americans whose extensive background as an economist and educator has helped inform his research and recommendations.
He and his wife, Kirsten Mullen, authored the award-winning book, “From Here to Equality: Reparations for Black Americans in the Twenty-First Century.”
The book is a comprehensive work that outlines the various harms Black Americans have suffered at the hands of America since slavery and why cash reparations are necessary to help close the racial wealth gap.
In the past few years, reparations activists questioned why Darity was not consulted as an expert witness during hearings on HR 40 and other reparations legislation and conferences.
Darity has spent his life studying and researching economics, the racial wealth gap, other inequities and more.
According to his professional bio, Darity is the Samuel DuBois Cook Professor of Public Policy, African and African American Studies, and Economics and the director of the Samuel DuBois Cook Center on Social Equity at Duke University. He also served as chair of the Department of African and African American Studies and was the founding director of the Research Network on Racial and Ethnic Inequality at Duke.
