Pulitzer Prize winner Nikole Hannah-Jones to visit Weber State University

OGDEN, Utah – Nikole Hannah-Jones, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, will visit Weber State University on March 31. 

In a conversation with RadioWest host Doug Fabrizio, Hannah-Jones will speak on the theme “How We Tell America’s Story,” discussing her research for The 1619 Project, as well as her belief that journalism must include diverse voices to promote transparency and good government.

Hannah-Jones has spent her career investigating racial inequality and injustice. Her reporting has earned her the MacArthur Fellowship, known as the “Genius Grant,” a Peabody Award, two George Polk Awards, and three National Magazine Awards. Her early reporting focused extensively on school resegregation around the country and chronicled the decades-long failure of the federal government to enforce the landmark 1968 Fair Housing Act.

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. In 2021, she accepted the position as the inaugural Knight Chair in Race and Reporting at Howard University. 

The 1619 Project is an ongoing initiative from The New York Times Magazine that began in 2019, the 400th anniversary of the beginning of American slavery. 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. The book version was an instant #1 New York Times bestseller, and the docuseries of the same title premiered on Hulu on Jan. 26.

When she visits campus, Hannah-Jones will discuss the project as part of her commitment to social justice. In addition to the public conversation with Fabrizio, Hannah-Jones will meet with students who are reading The 1619 Project to discuss racial inequality and the challenges confronting our democracy.

“We are so fortunate to have such a brilliant thinker and passionate advocate come to campus,” said Deborah Uman, Dean of the Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & 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.”

Tickets for the event are on sale now, $15 for adults and $10 for students. 

Contact:

Kayla Griffin, Telitha E. Lindquist College of Arts & Humanities
kaylagriffin2@weber.edu, (801) 626-6431