The “1619 Project” is getting an adaptation — several of them, in fact. Nikole Hannah-Jones’ groundbreaking New York Times magazine issue, which considers American history via the lens of slavery, is being developed “into multiple feature films, TV series, documentaries, and other cross-platform content for a global audience,” per The Hollywood Reporter. The Pulitzer winner and Oprah Winfrey have partnered with Lionsgate on the endeavor.
Winfrey and Hannah-Jones will produce alongside Caitlin Roper, an editor of the “1619 Project” magazine issue and the Times’ head of scripted entertainment. The podcast “1619” will also be adapted for multiple platforms.
The creative team behind the adaptation will “enlist producers for individual projects,” THR explains, “to include unscripted programming and other content that allows Black creative voices to chronicle the historical legacy and economics of slavery in America and the enduring contributions of African-Americans with stories of Black resistance and resilience.”
“We took very seriously our duty to find TV and film partners that would respect and honor the work and mission of ‘The 1619 Project,’ that understood our vision and deep moral obligation to doing justice to these stories,” Hannah-Jones said. “Through every step of the process, Lionsgate and its leadership have shown themselves to be that partner and it is a dream to be able to produce this work with Ms. Oprah Winfrey, a trailblazer and beacon to so many Black journalists.”
“From the first moment I read ‘The 1619 Project’ and immersed myself in Nikole Hannah-Jones’s transformative work, I was moved, deepened, and strengthened by her empowering historical analysis. I am honored to be a part of Nikole’s vision to bring this project to a global audience,” Winfrey stated.
“The 1619 Project” magazine issue launched last August, marking the 400th anniversary of the first Africans’ arrival in Virginia. An examination of the ties between slavery and the systemic racism that plagues America today, the publication and ongoing initiative won Hannah-Jones the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary. It features work from Black authors, essayists, poets, playwrights, and scholars, and argues that the contributions Black citizens have made during the past four centuries should be centered in American History. A special section of the print edition was produced in collaboration with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History & Culture.
Winfrey and Hannah-Jones’ multi-platform adaptation will span Lionsgate’s movie and TV groups.
“For many Americans, ‘The 1619 Project’ was a great awakening and a true history that you probably never learned in school,” observed Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer. “For others, the project was a fresh analysis of the historical record by one of the world’s leading media authorities. We’re proud to partner with The New York Times, Nikole Hannah-Jones, and Oprah Winfrey, a creative talent with unparalleled stature, to amplify Nikole’s voice and reach across our worldwide platform to marshal all of our top creative relationships to translate her vision into a canon of storytelling for a global audience.”
Lionsgate Motion Picture Group chairman Joe Drake and Lionsgate Television Group chairman Kevin Beggs added, “The truths [Hannah-Jones] uncovers are painful and disturbing, but we are better for it because her crowning accomplishment in shining a spotlight on the previously untold contributions of Black Americans delivers a powerful message of empowerment and inclusion.”
One World, a division of Penguin Random House, is adapting “The 1619 Project” as a series of books. The initiative’s subject matter is also being taught in some American high schools.
Hannah-Jones does investigative reporting on civil rights and racial injustice for the Times. She previously reported for ProPublica, The Oregonian, and The News & Observer. She counts journalists Ida B. Wells and Ethel Payne among her heroes.
Last month, Winfrey hosted a two-night town hall addressing America’s systemic racism for her network, OWN, and its parent company Discovery’s 18 other channels. She hosts talk show “Oprah’s Book Club” for Apple, where she is under a content deal. Her more recent news specials include “Oprah Talks COVID-19.” The mogul executive produces Ava DuVernay’s OWN series “Cherish the Day” and “Queen Sugar.” Winfrey also acted in DuVernay’s “Selma” and “A Wrinkle in Time.” “Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” “The Color Purple,” and “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” are among her other acting credits.
