Re-framing, Re-Examining and The 1619 Project

This week’s readings emphasize the important role DH has in reframing humanities itself, a discipline which has been built to uphold systems of oppression through race, gender and class. DH projects allow us to reexamine our world-view through different lenses such as Black Studies, Feminism, and Caribbean Studies. However, we have to be mindful that the technological tools and data we use may have also been built upon those same systems. For example, if creating an archive, one has to examine how and from whom material was collected and if that material is a fair representation of the subject (institutions should not be immune from scrutiny in this assessment). And, in building that archive, do the digital tools used provide equity and accessibility? 

This brings to mind The 1619 Project by the NY Times which “aims to reframe the country’s history by placing the consequences of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative” through an interactive website, essays and podcasts. Despite the wealth of knowledge the project provides, there are barriers to access the information (NY Times paywall). More importantly, President Trump has recently warned that schools and institutions using the 1619 Project in their classrooms could be defunded by the federal government. I fear this threatens the value of DH. DH projects can bring to light areas in the humanities which deserve inspection. However, what are the consequences if they are not used for scholarship, or even discouraged/banned by power structures? I’d be interested in hearing what others think.