Closely linked with nationalism in politics and irrationalism in philosophy, origin stories aim to fuse groups of people by lifting “the race” above the material class relations of history. But in modern times, origin stories have indeed been created. They were the work of whole cultures, emerging out of oral traditions that first humanized nature and then naturalized social relations. Premodern societies produced, but did not “create,” origin stories. Origin stories lie in the realm of myth, not history. The Times, which wishes readers to take the 1619 Project seriously as a “reframing of American history,” has said more than it intended. The Project, the over title reads, is “A New Origin Story,” that has been “Created by Nikole Hannah-Jones.” The dust jacket flap adds a touch of clairvoyance, explaining that the volume “offers a profoundly revealing vision of the American past and present.” Yet the front cover of the recently released book version of the New York Times’ 1619 Project speaks as much in a few short words as the following 600 pages of text. New York, One World, 2021.Īn old idiom advises to never judge a book by its cover. The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story, edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Caitlin Roper, Ilena Silverman and Jake Silverstein.

The 1619 project a new origin story