Series Graphic Identity | Toolkit | Design | Animation
The 1619 Project is one of the seminal works of American journalism in the 21st century. Created by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Nikole Hannah-Jones, the project chronicles the Black American experience since the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to the U.S. in 1619.
The project originated with a series of essays for The New York Times Magazine. It grew to include a best-selling book, podcast, and an illustrated children’s book. Now it has expanded into a six-part limited docu-series hosted by Hannah-Jones. The series, streaming on Hulu, is a Lionsgate Production, in association with One Story Up, Harpo Films and The New York Times.
THE CHALLENGE
One Story Up partnered with BLOCK & TACKLE to develop a rich, historically rooted graphic identity to support each episode. The visual language had to work with a wide variety of archival material, fill in gaps where visual materials were missing, and visualize abstract concepts. The nature of the subject matter necessitated appropriate, authentic, and contextually rich visuals. Most importantly, all graphics needed to pass the rigorous fact-checking standards of The New York Times.
OUR APPROACH
The approach to the project required sensitivity and reverence. Drawing inspiration from a wide variety of sources – W.E.B. Du Bois' incredible data visualizations from 1900, the historically inspired typefaces designed by Vocal Type, the collage and cut paper compositions of artist Christopher Myers, and the poignant family snapshots from Nikole’s own childhood, to name a few – our work respects the gravity of the subject matter, and at the same time celebrates the spirit and resilience of Black culture in America. The visual identity is subtle yet confident, passionate yet historically grounded, precise yet infused with a visceral human energy.
Told through Nikole Hannah-Jones' personal story, historical events and the modern fights for voting rights, DEMOCRACY explores Black America's centuries-long fight to democratize America and hold it to its founding ideals.
RACE examines the construct of race as a political invention created to justify exploitation of Africans during slavery and promote white supremacy, while tracing the impact that has had on Black women's bodies and reproductive lives.
From Motown's wide popularity to funk's rebellious independence to today's genre-breaking musicians, MUSIC celebrates the "uncapturable spirit" of Black music and maintains that Black music IS American Music.
Nikole Hannah-Jones' family and current labor battles are the lens for CAPITALISM, which explores how slavery formed the bedrock of American capitalism and how this foundation of brutality continues to permeate our deeply unequal economic system.
A family's tragic loss. A dramatic day in the life of a protestor. FEAR explores how modern policing, surveillance and the criminalization of Black Americans draw roots from the slavery era fear of Black rebellion and centuries-long quest for freedom.
Through Nikole Hannah-Jones' family story and one Georgia community fighting for restitution, JUSTICE examines the historical events that denied Black Americans the opportunity to build generational wealth and what is owed to descendants of slavery.
DIRECTED BY BLOCK & TACKLE
CREATIVE DIRECTORS
Adam Gault, Ted Kotsaftis
PRODUCERS
Megan Anderson, Dorian Carli-Jones
PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
Mara Henderson
PROJECT LEAD
David Jouppi
SERIES BRAND IDENTITY CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Design
Adam Gault, Jaimie Justen, Alphonse Swinehart
Toolkit
Jaime Justen, David Jouppi, Alex Winakor
BESPOKE EPISODIC INFOGRAPHICS AND ARCHIVAL
Design and Animation
Stefanie Augustine, Margaret Bialis, Adam Gault, Dylan Goodsell, Jaime Justen, David Jouppi, Sam Pickett, Mike Russo, Saurabh Shriwas, Aren Williams, Alex Winakor
CLIENT
ONE STORY UP