PASADENA, CALIF. — Docuseries The 1619 Project, an expansion of the long-form journalism project from Nikole Hannah-Jones and The New York Times Magazine, will debut on Hulu January 26. It is an Onyx Collective series.
The series seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the contributions of Black Americans at the center of our national narrative, Hulu said. The six episodes are titled “Democracy,” “Race,” “Music,” “Capitalism,” “Fear” and “Justice”. They are adapted from essays from The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story and examine how the legacy of slavery shapes different aspects of contemporary American life.
Hannah-Jones hosts.
"This is the story of America," said Hannah-Jones at the Television Critics Association press tour in Pasadena. "You can’t understand the story of America without understanding the story of slavery and Black Americans."
The 1619 Project is a Lionsgate production in association with One Story Up Productions, Harpo Films and The New York Times. It was executive produced by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Roger Ross Williams, Caitlin Roper, Kathleen Lingo, Shoshana Guy and Oprah Winfrey. Guy is the showrunner.
Part of Disney, Onyx Collective features creators of color and underrepresented voices.
The 1619 Project book is published by One World.
Onyx also picked up the pilot for 1266 (working title), a comedy from 20th Television. Inspired by Gabourey Sidibe’s true-life story, the show is about Gabby Brixton, who is living with her mother and making half-hearted attempts to become a singer/model. When she’s fired from her job, she stumbles upon a new gig, phone sex. “What initially seems like a quick way to make money turns into a life-changing experience when she meets the women who become her chosen family and learns how powerful, profitable and prolific her voice can be,” according to Hulu.
Thembi Banks, Steven Canals, Julie Bean and Jill Kaplan executive produce.
Onyx Collective is going straight-to-series on three-part docuseries Black Twitter (working title) from A Penny for Your Thoughts, WIRED Studios and Culture House. Prentice Penny is directing the series, based on Jason Parham’s article “A People’s History of Black Twitter” in Wired. ■
