OGDEN — Nikole Hannah-Jones, the journalist behind The 1619 Project, will visit Weber State University later this month, speaking about the journalistic endeavor and her thoughts on journalism.

“We are so fortunate to have such a brilliant thinker and passionate advocate come to campus,” said Deborah Uman, dean of Weber State’s Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts and Humanities. “Nikole Hannah-Jones’ early work on school segregation inspired me to think about education in new ways, and her commitment to equity and inclusion aligns perfectly with Weber’s mission.”

Hannah-Jones will speak March 31 at the Austad Theater at Weber State’s Val A. Browning Center, joined by KUER radio host Doug Fabrizio. She’ll discuss The 1619 Project “as well as her belief that journalism must include diverse voices to promote transparency and good government,” said a Weber State press release.

The 1619 Project launched in the pages of The New York Times Magazine in 2019, the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first African slaves in what would become the United States. “It aims to reframe U.S. history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of the national narrative,” reads the Weber State press release.

The journalistic endeavor, which has expanded into a school curriculum, a Hulu documentary and more, has drawn fire from some who challenge some of its premises, assertions and observations.

Hannah-Jones is co-founder of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, a training and mentorship organization dedicated to increasing the ranks of investigative reporters of color, according to the Weber State statement. She joined Howard University as the inaugural Knight chair in race and reporting in 2021.

Go to weber.edu/artscalendar for tickets, $15 for adults and $10 for students.

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