I must admit that I have not read all of the criticism that has been thrown at The 1619 Project, and that I don’t intend to. But I will say this: I have just finished reading through the entire book, and I don’t find much to criticize.

The 1619 Project started out as a lengthy article in the New York Times Magazine sometime in 2019 by Times reporter Nikole Hannah-Jones (or was it an entire issue of the magazine?) that claimed that the central feature (or at least one of the most important of the central features) of American history was slavery, and that the lengthy and widespread historical existence of slavery in this country influences the way we are and the way we think even today. And that this history begins in 1619 when the first slaves were brought to what is now the United States, one year before the landing of the Mayflower. What’s to argue about?

Now, I understand that one may quibble with this or that incident and its relative importance or how it may continue to resonate today. But that is not what the argument that has been thrown against The 1619 Project is about. The criticism of The 1619 Project is holistic. Donald Trump, for example, told Judy Woodruff of PBS that The 1619 Project, along with Critical Race Theory, is a “crusade against American history”, and “toxic propaganda, ideological poison, that if not removed, will dissolve the civic bonds that hold us together, will destroy our country.” (As an aside, how many things has Donald Trump says will destroy our country, or have already destroyed it?)

Let’s make this clear. The 1619 Project is not a “crusade against American history”, and it is not “toxic propaganda” or “ideological poison”.

What is it? It is telling (I won’t even say retelling) of American history from the perspective of Black American history, and I don’t think it is easy to refute. It clearly demonstrates the centrality of Black America not only to the America that existed during the almost 250 years when there was slavery in our land, but subsequently. And how the treatment of Blacks after the end of slavery has been clearly influenced by those 250 years when slavery was permitted to exist. Things that should be obvious, and are to most or many of us, but which will be even better understood by those who take the time read through this book.

And that gets me to my next point. If I ran the Zoo, I would make this book, or large parts of it, required reading in America’s schools, because what it says is so, so important. And, although it is a fairly long and heavy book, it is surprisingly easy reading, smooth reading. They must have worked hard at that.

The book was published in 2021 and, until I picked up a copy and started looking at it, I didn’t think I would ever read it, and certainly didn’t think I needed to read it. But I was wrong. Everyone – White, Black or something else – does need to read it. (And, I should add that parts of the book deal with Native Americans and refer to Asian immigrants; this is not a “black power” book.)

The book has, in addition to a valuable preface, 18 chapters, each written by someone different (I admit not to have looked up the background of each of the 18). Their titles give you an idea of their breadth, and each of the chapters takes a general aspect of American history, demonstrates how Black Americans, slave and free, have been treated by the country in connection with each of these topics, beginning with the country’s early history, through the Civil War years, and beyond until today.

Let’s look at the chapter titles (with my brief and simple minded explanations):

(1) Democracy (how it was determined who could vote and who could not, for example)

(2) Race (how race affected how people were/are treated, beyond the question of slavery)

(3) Sugar (how the plantation system developed)

(4) Fear (how fear of Blacks influenced White reactions)

(5) Dispossession (how, even after slavery ended, Blacks had a difficult time not only obtaining, but retaining their property)

(6) Capitalism (what is the goal of our society after all, assuming there is a goal?)

(7) Politics (Blacks in politics – from Reconstruction onward)

(8) Citizenship (the Constitution didn’t define it)

(9) Self-Defense (White self defense; we are back with “fear”)

(10) Punishment (Just look at our statistics)

(11) Inheritance (the rich get richer – and not by the sweat of their brows)

(12) Medicine (it’s more than just the Tuskegee scandal)

(13) Church (what’s the real history of the Black church – why is it the most segregated activity in the US today?)

(14) Music (Black music – Black and White performers – appreciation or exploitation)

(15) Healthcare (who gets treated and who does not)

(16) Traffic (why is Atlanta so congested anyway?)

(17) Progress (two steps forward, one step back? one step forward, two steps back?)

(18) Justice.

Each of these chapters is filled with interesting facts and history. I guarantee you that, no matter how much you know about these topics today, you will gasp at some of the things you see. I guarantee you that this book will expand your appreciation of the Black situation in this country.

Now, does that meant that you will look at everything that is written and say “I agree!!”? Of course not. And you may not agree with Hannah-Jones’ concluding position that reparations are owed to Black Americans (although they were paid to some Native American tribes, and they were paid to the Japanese who were incarcerated during World War II – I did not know that, b the way), or her “easy” definition of which Blacks should be entitled to reparations.

But that is besides the point. This not central to the book or the “project” itself. And, I should add that this book does not give, or attempt to give, answers to our problems, or to the additional problems many Blacks face. This is a history book, not a book attempting to create a predefined future, or a book of predictions

But this book will get you thinking. And if you think that it is wrong in some, or even most, aspects, the thinking you will do will be worth it.

But again, let’s be clear. There is nothing in this book that sets race against race or class against class. There is nothing in this book that should lead White children to feel “guilty” or Black children to become anti-White. This book is meant to show how we got to where we are. The next steps should be better be able to understand what the next steps should be. That will be a continual discussion, to be sure, but not one that will “destroy our country”. Donald – once again, you should be ashamed of yourself.

Tomorrow, we will continue our walk up Rhode Island Avenue. That is, unless you want to talk about who Harris should select as her running mate. I still sorta like Andy Beshear.