Page 147 - 1619 Project Curriculum
P. 147
Reading “The Idea of America” by Nikole Hannah-Jones
In her essay, Nikole Hannah-Jones writes, “The United States is a nation founded on both an
ideal and a lie…‘Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness’ did not apply to fully one-fifth of the
country. Yet despite being violently denied the freedom and justice promised to all, black
Americans believed fervently in the American creed. Through centuries of black resistance and
protest, we have helped the country live up to its founding ideals.”
“The Idea of America” and The 1619 Project as a whole challenge readers to reevaluate what we
think we know about slavery, its legacy, and the contributions of black Americans to society.
How can we challenge what we’ve learned about our country and, by extension, about ourselves?
Use this graphic organizer to track new information and ideas you learn about in Hannah-Jones’
essay, as well as questions that arise.
1.
2.
Three historical facts
that surprise you
3.
1.
Three quotes that stand 2.
out to you
3.
1.
2.
Three questions you
have about content in
the essay 3.
These materials were created to support The 1619 Project, published in The New York Times Magazine August
2019. You can find this and more educational resources at www.pulitzercenter.org/1619
