The 1619 Project Response
After reading the 1619 Project I felt thankful that the New York Times took the initiative to expose and explain why African-Americans are the ones who should be credited with founding this nation. However, I also felt sad that there was so much that I was still unaware about, and if I am, then how can I expect those who are not a part of the black community to understand the extent to which discrimination is still abundant and masked by systems that are generations-old. The fact that most people will never be able to fully understand the realities of living in Black America is troubling, but this unique broadcasting gives me hope that through the help of mainstream media, one day all of America’s citizens will see their country for what it actually is. I found it profound just how much history has shown that people want to find reasons to make African-American people appear less than or different from everyone else. Thus, we are continuously punished for our existence out of a desire to prove to themselves that their lives have greater purpose and importance than anyone else’s. I think what plagues America is this lack of desire for true unity; the country is scared of relinquishing control and is scared of the power that could come from the different races fully accepting one another. Therefore, the unapologetic attitude of the storytelling is one of the things I loved most and it sets the precedent of what is expected for future platforms looking to give African Americans a place to share their stories. The magazine effectively showed just how every part of society is plagued by racism from the transit system in Atlanta to Healthcare and more.
