The 1619 Project was a New York Times Magazine endeavor that explored the ways the legacy of slavery still shapes American society. The story exploded into cultural consciousness in 2019, and has since become a book, a podcast, and now, a documentary series. For the project’s creators, that meant great success, but it also meant facing pushback and surprises. We talk to journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones about how politics affected The 1619 Project and what it means to be in the middle of this social reckoning.

For more information on this episode, visit natgeo.com/overheard.

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The 1619 Project documentary examines how the legacy of slavery has influenced music, capitalism, and democracy itself. It premieres January 26 on Hulu. 

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Take a look at the original New York Times Magazine 1619 Project. It features articles, photo essays, and more that discuss how black Americans created democracy in the country, how segregation leads to traffic jams, and more.

Check out the audio series that The New York Times produced. It explores topics like Black land ownership and health disparities. 

National Geographic also has extensive coverage of these issues, including the long and complicated legacy of Black landownership in the U.S., COVID's disproportionate death toll, and how Black Americans see racism infecting the U.S. health-care system.

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