The 1619 Project cover art

The 1619 Project

Born on the Water

Preview

Try for $0.00
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo + applicable taxes after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

The 1619 Project

Written by: Nikole Hannah-Jones, Renée Watson
Narrated by: Nikole Hannah-Jones
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $5.96

Buy Now for $5.96

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

The 1619 Project’s lyrical picture book in verse, adapted for audio, chronicles the consequences of slavery and the history of Black resistance in the United States, thoughtfully rendered by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones and Newbery honor-winning author Renée Watson.

A young student receives a family tree assignment in school, but she can only trace back three generations. Grandma gathers the whole family, and the student learns that 400 years ago, in 1619, their ancestors were stolen and brought to America by white slave traders.

But before that, they had a home, a land, a language. She learns how the people said to be born on the water survived.

And the people planted dreams and hope,

willed themselves to keep

living, living.

And the people learned new words

for love

for friend

for family

for joy

for grow

for home.

With powerful verse and striking illustrations by Nikkolas Smith, Born on the Water provides a pathway for listeners of all ages to reflect on the origins of American identity.

©2021 Nikole Hannah-Jones (P)2021 Listening Library
Geography & Cultures History Literature & Fiction United States Nonfiction Student
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

What the critics say

#1 New York Times Bestseller!

An Amazon Best of the Year 2021

A Time Magazine Best Children’s Books of 2021

A NPR Best Books of the Year 2021

A School Library Journal Best Books of 2021

A NYPL Best Books 2021

A Chicago Public Library Best Books 2021

A Barnes & Noble Best Picture Book of 2021

A Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2021

A News & Observer Best Books of 2021

An Amazon Best Book of the Month

A New York Public Library Best Book of 2021

A Barnes & Noble Book of the Year finalist

A 2022 Irma S. Black Award Contender

A 2022 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award Winner

A 2022 NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts Award Winner

A 2022 SDUSMP Phillis Wheatley Book Award in the Children's (Ages 0-17) Non-fiction Category

A 2022 AAMBC Literary Award Nominee

"A gift to Black Americans and everyone else who reads it." ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Black history is not merely a story of slavery and suffering but one of perseverance and hope." ―Publisher's Weekly, starred review

What listeners say about The 1619 Project

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.