Nikole Hannah-Jones (Photo: Howard University
Journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the groundbreaking yet controversial 1619 Project, Nikole Hannah-Jones, recently took home an Emmy at the 75th Creative Arts Emmy Awards. Her six-part docuseries, an extension of the New York Times Magazine article series, earned the Emmy for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series. The collaboration involved executive producers Oprah Winfrey, Roger Ross Williams, Shoshanna Guy, Kathleen Lingo of The New York Times, and Hannah-Jones.
Hannah-Jones, a staff writer at The New York Times Magazine, has been recognized with prestigious accolades, including the MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the Genius Grant, a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards, and the National Magazine Award three times.
She is also the Knight Chair of Race and Journalism at Howard University. At Howard, she founded the Center for Journalism & Democracy and co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. In 2022, she established the 1619 Freedom School, a free after-school literacy program in her hometown of Waterloo, Iowa.
The docu-series was the first collaboration of Lionsgate, The New York Times, Harpo Films led by Oprah Winfrey and Hannah-Jones, Deadline reported.
“The 1619 Project” delves into the enduring impacts of slavery in the U.S., tracing its roots back over 400 years to the arrival of the first slaves. Premiering on Hulu last year, the series faced both acclaim for reshaping historical narratives and criticism from conservatives who labeled it as “woke-ism.”
Hannah-Jones, serving as both the host and originator of the project, expressed her gratitude for the Emmy win. She stated, “It was such an honor to take home the Emmy for ‘The 1619 Project’ documentary series, which brought our journalism about slavery and its ongoing legacy to an even wider audience. I’m grateful to work at an institution that supports this type of journalism, especially in these times of great racial polarization. Truth matters,” The New York Times reported.
Despite its accolades, “The 1619 Project” has faced resistance, with then-President Trump condemning it as “toxic propaganda.” In response, Trump signed an executive order in 2020 to establish a 1776 Commission promoting what he termed “patriotic education.” Florida went further, banning the teaching of the project in classrooms and approving new standards downplaying the negative aspects of slavery.
Nikole Hannah-Jones (Photo: Howard University, https://profiles.howard.edu/nikole-hannah-jones)
