*Hulu has announced a six-episode limited series based on Nikole Hannah-Jones’ critically-acclaimed “The 1619 Project.”
Disney’s Onyx Collective announced a Jan. 26 premiere date for the series which will debut with the first two episodes streaming exclusively on Hulu, with two additional episodes released every Thursday.
Per a news release: In keeping with the original project, the series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative. The episodes — “Democracy,” “Race,” “Music,” “Capitalism,” “Fear” and “Justice” — are adapted from essays from The New York Times No. 1 bestselling “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” and examine how the legacy of slavery shapes different aspects of contemporary American life.
Hannah-Jones will host the series which is a Lionsgate Production in association with One Story Up Productions, Harpo Films and The New York Times.
READ MORE: ‘1619 Project’ Creator Nikole Hannah-Jones Questions Parents’ Role in Children’s Schooling | WATCH
As EURweb previously reported, the interactive 1619 Project was launched in August 2020 by The New York Times Magazine to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans in Virginia.
“‘The 1619 Project’ is an essential reframing of American history,” Academy Award-winning filmmaker Roger Ross Williams previously said. He will reportedly produce and oversee the project along with Oprah Winfrey and co-executive producer Geoff Martz.
“Our most cherished ideals and achievements cannot be understood without acknowledging both systemic racism and the contributions of Black Americans. And this isn’t just about the past—Black people are still fighting against both the legacy of this racism and its current incarnation. I am thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to work with The New York Times, Lionsgate Television, Harpo Films and Hulu to translate the incredibly important ‘The 1619 Project’ into a documentary series,” said Williams.
“‘The 1619 Project’ is an essential reframing of American history,” Williams told Variety.
“Our most cherished ideals and achievements cannot be understood without acknowledging both systemic racism and the contributions of Black Americans,” Williams continued.
Hannah-Jones won a Pulitzer for her work on the project.
“I could not ask for a more gifted and committed storyteller to entrust ‘The 1619 Project’ to than Roger Ross Williams,” Hannah-Jones told Variety. “I have long admired the impact and authenticity of his filmmaking, and the fact that we’re working with Disney and Hulu aligns with our vision of partnering with the world’s greatest Black storytellers to bring this project to a global audience.”
“The 1619 Project” will stream exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ in all other territories. A slew of award-winning directors was tapped to helm each episode in the series. Will you be watching?
