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Our Journey 

Seeking Truth in History

In 1994 members of the organization started a national campaign to dispel the false narrative that the first Enslaved Africans who were kidnapped from Angola, Africa, landed at Jamestown, Virginia. The First Enslaved Africans landed at Point Comfort, present day Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia on August 25, 1619.

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Point Comfort is Ground Zero. It is the ancestral land where African human bondage began in English North America. Point Comfort represents the beginning of African and African American  history and culture in what would eventually become the United States of America.   

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Our Story

On Thursday, October 26. 2021,  Project 1619, Inc. premiered  their presentation on the First Enslaved Africans brought to English North America on August 25, 1619.

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Meet The Team

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Melinda Steele

President

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Venita Benitez

Vice-President

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Dr. Margaret Bristow

Treasurer

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Audrey Perry Williams

Secretary

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Larry D. Gibson

Board Member

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Jannie Davis Evans

Board Member

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Calvin Pearson

Founder (Deceased)

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Dr. William Wiggins

Former President (Deceased)

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Our Pioneers

In September, 2024, Project 1619 Inc. lost two of its leaders. Although they no longer walk amongst us, their legacy lives on. The work of Calvin Pearson and Dr. William Wiggins has laid a strong foundation for Project 1619, which aims to continue its mission of uncovering and promoting the truth about African American history. Their vision and persistence have positioned the organization to explore new avenues and expand its reach, ensuring that the contributions and experiences of African Americans are recognized and celebrated in the broader narrative of U.S. history.

Our Associates

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Our National
Advisory Board Members

VanDella Menifee

 Arlington, Texas

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Prof. Robert Watson

Professor, Hampton University


Kathryn Knight

Book Author, Historian, Genealogist


Mr. Andrew Williams, Jr.

President, Five Point Foundation Inc.,

Los Angeles, California   

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Ada Brown

Roots to Glory Tours

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