Hannah-Jones, Nikole
1976-present · Contribution: 2003-present
Investigative journalist
Created The 1619 Project for The New York Times Magazine in 2019, a sweeping reexamination of slavery’s central role in the American founding and its ongoing legacy that won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Commentary and expanded into a bestselling book, school curriculum, and Hulu docuseries

Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Quick facts
- Born
- 1976, Waterloo, Iowa
- Active since
- 2003
- Category
- Press & Photography
- Best known for
- Creating The 1619 Project
Impact on the world
Hannah-Jones reframed mainstream understanding of American history around slavery and Black contributions, sparking classroom adoption, fierce national debate, and a lasting argument over how the country tells its own origin story.
Sources
- The Pulitzer Prizes
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