The History Wars: The 1619 Project and Critical Race Theory
By now, it seems everyone has an opinion about The 1619 Project and critical race theory (CRT). Their claims have each been disputed by some historians and defended by others. They have been attacked by many conservatives and promoted by many liberals. Legislators in many states have even passed laws to ban them from school curriculums.
In this four-part course, we’ll talk candidly about what The 1619 Project and CRT actually say — and what they don’t. We will engage with the debates among leading scholars as to their claims and to their merits and get as close as we can to the subjects — like the American Revolution, the Constitution, Abraham Lincoln, and Reconstruction — around which so many of these debates have swirled.
Richard Bell is Professor of History at the University of Maryland and author of the book Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped into Slavery and their Astonishing Odyssey Home which was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize.
This is a Livestreamed + Recorded Course
- Classes will stream live on the scheduled day and time.
- Classes will also be recorded. Videos will post the Friday of each week.
- Course materials, including videos, will remain available to enjoy in the Member Dashboard through August 31.
- Fee assistance is available if cost is a barrier. Learn more.
Schedule Highlights
- Classes meet on Mondays, June 5, 12 and 26, and on Wednesday, June 28.
- There is no class on Monday, June 19.
- Classes meet for four weeks, 2 hours per session (10–noon PT).