The 1619 Project informs and challenges us to reframe U.S. history, and allows us to better understand the hold of institutional racism on our communities.

“American history cannot be told truthfully without a clear vision of how inhuman and immoral the treatment of black Americans has been. By acknowledging this shameful history, by trying hard to understand its powerful influence on the present, perhaps we can prepare ourselves for a more just future. That is the hope of this project.”

1619 Project website: 1619 Project

During this event, we will focus on the 1st essay “The Idea of America” of the 1619 Project by Nikole Hannah-Jones. 

There is currently a bill within the Iowa Legislature (HF 222), which seeks to prevent the use of the “1619 Project or similarly developed curriculum” in K-12 school districts and publicly-funded institutes of higher education, including community colleges. The bill also penalizes those schools that use the curriculum by deducting a portion of general education funding for each day the curriculum is used.

Rep. Ras Smith (D-Waterloo) has started a petition to stop the ban of the 1619 Project in Iowa schools, which can be accessed here: 1619 Project Petition

*Note: You will not be able to access the event link until Thursday, February 25th , 2021 at 6:30 PM.* 

To view the recording of the event, please click here. 

This event is the first in a series of upcoming events whose purpose is to explore essays, books, and podcasts etc. focused on DEI topics, the contributions of Black Americans, and local issues impacting our community. The series strives to be thought-provoking, to raise awareness, and to encourage an open dialogue, obtaining input from community members to influence local policies and facilitate a deeper understanding of one another.