In August 1619, the first English slave ship landed in Jamestown, Virginia, marking a turning point for the entire nation. The arrival of the slave ship White Lion officially connected the British colonies to the transatlantic slave trade and commenced centuries of brutal and institutionalized slavery. Four hundred and one years later, we still experience the effects of slavery's aftermath.

 

At the Center for Social Solutions, we strive to create a better collective understanding of slavery and its lasting impacts. Through our Slavery and Its Aftermath Initiative and Third Slavery project, the Center remains dedicated to confronting both our nation’s history and the modern global practice of forced labor. As we near the date that marks the 401st anniversary of the arrival of the first slave ship in the United States, we take a look back at this historic event and its impacts today.

 

Read

The 1619 Project by The New York Times Magazine

Launched in August 2019 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first slave ship’s arrival in America, the ongoing 1619 project seeks to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the center of the nation’s narrative through a powerful collection of essays and multimedia pieces.


“The First Africans in Virginia Landed in 1619. It was a Turning Point for Slavery in American History - But Not the Beginning” by Olivia B. Waxman, Time

While the year 1619 marks the official introduction of the transatlantic slave trade to America, other forms of slavery had been present for decades prior to this event, shaping the lives of other minority groups in the country as well.

 

“One in 200 people is a slave. Why?” by Kate Hodal, The Guardian

A detailed report on the causes and socioeconomic impacts of modern slavery around the world and the work that is being done to fight against the practice of forced labor.

 

“A new DNA study offers insight into the horrific story of the trans-Atlantic slave trade” by Harmeet Kaur, CNN

A study of DNA from the descendants of former slaves reveals new insight into the oppressive history of slavery in America, including the violence experienced by many slaves and the less-documented slave trade that occurred within the Americas.



Watch

The Black Atlantic directed by Sabin Streeter, PBS (2013)

This insightful documentary explores the African diaspora of both free and enslaved people to the Americas during the 16th-18th centuries, including an in-depth look at the events leading up the arrival of the first slave ship in the United States and freedom movements in the Americas that occurred in the centuries following.

 

 

Listen

1619 by Nikole-Hannah Jones, The New York Times (2020)

This podcast is part of the New York Times 1619 Project and explores the implications of slavery on countless aspects of American society including capitalism, music, healthcare, land ownership, and more.

 

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