The 1619 Project

1. The Legacy of Slavery Shapes American Democracy

Without the idealistic, strenuous, and patriotic efforts of Black Americans, our democracy today would look very different; in fact, our country might not be a democracy at all.

Democracy's Debt. The United States is founded on both an ideal of equality and the stark reality of slavery. Black Americans, despite being denied the promised freedoms, have consistently fought to make the nation live up to its founding ideals. Their struggles have paved the way for other rights movements, including those for women, LGBTQ+ individuals, immigrants, and people with disabilities.

1619 as Origin. The arrival of enslaved Africans in 1619 is as crucial to the American story as 1776. Black Americans, as much as the white men celebrated in national monuments, are the true founding figures of the nation. Their contributions, both in labor and in the fight for freedom, are indelible and foundational.

Revolutionary Hypocrisy. The colonists' fight for independence was intertwined with their desire to protect the institution of slavery. The absence of 1619 from mainstream history is not an oversight but an intentional choice to obscure the nation's grave hypocrisy. This omission perpetuates a mythology that hinders a true understanding of American identity and its persistent inequalities.

2. Race as a Social Construct Rooted in Sexual Regulation

The laws that invented race also created a regime intent on policing Black women’s sexuality and controlling Black women’s bodies.

Race is Invented. The concept of race, particularly in America, is not a natural or biological reality but a social construct. Colonial laws, primarily concerned with policing interracial sex, created racial classifications to maintain a clear line between who was Black and who was white, who was enslaved and who was free.

Policing Black Women. These laws were particularly focused on controlling Black women's bodies and sexuality. The principle of partus sequitur ventrem (the offspring follows the belly) ensured that children born to enslaved Black women were also enslaved, regardless of the father's race. This incentivized the rape of Black women by white enslavers, who could profit from their sexual assaults.

Enduring Legacy. The racial-classification system, backed by sexual regulation, has had lasting consequences. Even after slavery ended, the myth of Black female hypersexuality persisted, justifying the continued denial of Black women's bodily autonomy and contributing to systemic violence and discrimination.

3. Sugar's Bitter History: Slavery's Sweetest Product

Black Americans have also been, and continue to be, foundational to the idea of American freedom.

Sugar's Global Impact. Sugar, once a luxury, became a global commodity driving trade, fueling European wealth, and financing the North American colonies. The crop's cultivation relied on the brutal labor of enslaved Africans, transforming the Americas into some of the most successful colonies in the British Empire.

Deadly Labor. Sugar slavery was uniquely destructive and deadly. Enslaved Africans endured backbreaking labor, dangerous conditions in sugar mills, and constant violence to produce exorbitant profits for white people. This brutal system created a culture where slavery affected every aspect of society.

Toxic Legacy. Today, America's high sugar consumption contributes to poor national health, with African Americans disproportionately affected by diabetes and obesity. The success of the sugar industry, built on Black people's stolen labor, has ironically taken its greatest toll on Black communities.

4. White Fear as a Tool of Oppression

Our part, as Douglass said, “has been to tell the story of the slave.”

Fear as Control. White fear of Black people has been a recurring theme in American history, used to justify oppression and maintain racial hierarchy. From colonial slave patrols to modern-day policing, white fear has been weaponized to control Black lives.

Rebellions and Backlash. Black resistance and rebellions have consistently sparked white fear, leading to violent reprisals and the enactment of laws and policies detrimental to Black communities. This cycle of resistance and repression has shaped American history.

Modern Manifestations. The legacy of white fear continues to manifest in various forms, including racial profiling, police brutality, and the disproportionate incarceration of Black Americans. These actions serve to maintain a racial caste system and perpetuate inequality.

5. Black Resistance: The Heart of American Democracy

More than any other group in this country’s history, we have served, generation after generation, in an overlooked but vital role: it is we who have been the perfecters of this democracy.

Black People's Belief. Despite being violently denied freedom and justice, Black Americans have fervently believed in the American creed. Through centuries of resistance and protest, they have helped the country live up to its founding ideals.

Paving the Way. Black rights struggles have paved the way for every other rights struggle, including women’s and gay rights, immigrant and disability rights. Without the idealistic, strenuous, and patriotic efforts of Black Americans, our democracy today would look very different.

The Perfecters. Black Americans have been foundational to the idea of American freedom. More than any other group in this country's history, they have served as the perfecters of this democracy.

6. Capitalism's Complicity: Slavery's Enduring Economic Impact

It is the bitterest of ironies that the 1619 Project dispenses this malediction from the chair of ultimate cultural privilege in America, because in no human society has an enslaved people suddenly found itself vaulted into positions of such privilege, and with the consent—even the approbation—of those who were once the enslavers.

Slavery's Economic Foundation. Slavery was not merely a social or moral issue but a foundational economic institution. The relentless buying, selling, insuring, and financing of enslaved people and the products of their forced labor helped make Wall Street a thriving banking, insurance, and trading sector, and New York City a financial capital of the world.

Constitutional Protection. The Constitution protected the "property" of those who enslaved Black people, prohibited the federal government from intervening to end the importation of enslaved people from Africa for a term of twenty years, allowed Congress to mobilize the militia to put down insurrections by the enslaved, and forced states that had outlawed slavery to turn over enslaved people who had escaped and sought refuge there.

Modern Echoes. The legacy of slavery continues to shape American capitalism today. The wealth gap between Black and white Americans, the disproportionate incarceration rates, and the lack of economic opportunity in Black communities are all rooted in the history of slavery and its aftermath.

7. The Church: A Sanctuary and a Battlefield

Our part, as Douglass said, “has been to tell the story of the slave.”

A Dual Role. The Black church has served as both a sanctuary and a battlefield for Black Americans. It has provided a space for worship, community, and education, while also serving as a center for organizing and resistance against oppression.

Prophetic Tradition. Black preachers have used their pulpits to challenge the hypocrisy of white America's racism, often with harsh language. This prophetic tradition has been a defining feature of the Black church.

Target of Violence. The Black church has also been a target of violence, with white supremacists burning down churches and attacking congregations throughout history. Despite this violence, the Black church has remained a vital force for social change.

8. The Myth of Racial Progress: A Barrier to Justice

We are committing educational malpractice.

The Illusion of Progress. The narrative of steady racial progress in America is a myth that obscures the persistent inequalities and injustices faced by Black Americans. This mythology allows the nation to ignore the ongoing effects of slavery and anti-Blackness.

Selective Memory. The focus on civil rights victories and individual success stories serves to minimize the systemic barriers that continue to hold Black people back. This selective memory prevents a true understanding of the past and its impact on the present.

The Need for Truth. To achieve true racial justice, America must confront its history of slavery and anti-Blackness. This requires acknowledging the ongoing effects of past injustices and implementing policies to address them.

9. The Unfinished Business of Reparations: A Call to Action

The story of the master never wanted for narrators.

A Moral Imperative. Reparations are not merely a matter of financial compensation but a moral imperative. They are a way to acknowledge the debt owed to Black Americans for centuries of stolen labor and robbed opportunities.

Addressing the Wealth Gap. Reparations must include individual cash payments to descendants of the enslaved in order to close the wealth gap between Black and white Americans. This would provide Black families with the resources they need to build wealth and achieve economic stability.

Beyond Financial Compensation. In addition to cash payments, reparations should include investments in Black communities, enforcement of civil rights laws, and other measures to address the systemic barriers that continue to hold Black people back.

Last updated: March 7, 2025