AZ Dems Readers & Leaders Book Club

For July 18, our selection is: The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones, The New York Times Magazine. Diane Escalante will lead the discussion. Register here to receive Zoom link: https://secure.ngpvan.com/Vkd2GsmFWUGLOXXT7i2zEw2

In late August 1619, a ship arrived in the British colony of Virginia bearing a cargo of twenty to thirty enslaved people from Africa. Their arrival led to the barbaric and unprecedented system of American chattel slavery that would last for the next 250 years. This is sometimes referred to as the country’s original sin, but it is more than that: It is the source of so much that still defines the United States.

The New York Times Magazine’s award-winning 1619 Project issue reframed our understanding of American history by placing slavery and its continuing legacy at the center of our national narrative. This book substantially expands on that work, weaving together eighteen essays that explore the legacy of slavery in present-day America with thirty-six poems and works of fiction that illuminate key moments of oppression, struggle, and resistance. The essays show how the inheritance of 1619 reaches into every part of contemporary American society, from politics, music, diet, traffic, and citizenship to capitalism, religion, and our democracy itself.

Please Note: You must register through VAN to receive a Zoom link. Joining the Meetup event alone is not enough. Please register here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/Vkd2GsmFWUGLOXXT7i2zEw2

Hosted by LD12 Dems, this is a book club for Democrats throughout the state who want to read and discuss relevant, thought-provoking books with other Democrats. They focus on books that encourage lively discussion and help us to better understand, protect and defend our democratic values. Meetings are virtual, on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7 - 8:30pm