Pulitzer-Award winning journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones, speaks at Dean’s Lecture Series
Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer award-winning journalist and author (The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center)
Hundreds of guests gathered in the Kay Theatre of The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center to hear from Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer award-winning journalist and author. Hannah-Jones is most known for her work, “The 1619 Project,” which was published by The New York Times Magazine.
As part of her final Dean’s Lecture Series, Dean Bonnie Thornton Dill, dean of UMD’s College of Arts and Humanities had a conversation Tuesday with Hannah-Jones about history, truth and the 1619 Project.
“I'm glad that the University of Maryland brought her here, and that their open to these ideas and really understanding what it “The 1619 Project” is opposed to the propaganda that we're hearing in the media,” said Tiffanie Purvis, director in the Office of Gift Planning at UMD, “It's nice to hear from the person who actually did the project, what the project is about.”
Dill’s expectation was to have a lot of people come out and have the opportunity to hear more about the project if they weren’t familiar with it. Dill wanted to hear how Hannah-Jones was doing and what she hoped would come from the work.
“She was so pleasant and cooperative and yet, so filled with fire and passion about what she does,” Dill said, “I like that combination.”
Dill was very excited about the opportunity to speak with her. She describes Hannah-Jones as having “encyclopedic knowledge of African American History and of the African American struggle.”
“I really just enjoyed having the opportunity to talk with her. There were so many more things I wanted to talk about. We could have gone on forever,” Dill said.
As guests listened to Hannah-Jones, there were some chuckles but much of it was guests really taking in what she was saying. Her book “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” was created to share the narrative of America’s origin from the African American viewpoint.
“The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” written by Pulitzer award-winning journalist and author Nikole Hannah-Jones (Markayla Brooks/ Black Explosion)
As a result of this project, there was controversy at her job at the time, which was the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. The board of trustees initially did not approve her tenure forms from UNC’s Hussman School of Journalism. After protest and opposition by UNC staff, students and alumni, the board reversed their decision and offered her full tenure, according to The New York Times. There was an alum of UNC and supporter of Hannah-Jones at the event.
“I expected to see her in her fullness and that's exactly what I got,” said Crystal Walker, senior director of management leadership for Tomorrow Racial Equity at Work.
As the 90-minute conversation came to an end, Hannah-Jones and Dill were met with a standing ovation.
“I feel more informed and almost like this, this pride in having this history told now,” said Purvis,“ I feel more empowered after listening to her.”
Hannah-Jones also co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, which seeks to increase the number of reporters and editors of color. She has spent her career investigating racial inequality and injustice. She is currently on faculty at Howard University and plans to start a journalism center at the university.