Nikole Hannah-Jones’ controversial Chicago appearance pushes words of a more ‘radical’ MLK back to the forefront

CHICAGO -- Going into her Martin Luther King Jr. holiday speech at the Union League Club this month, “1619 Project” journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones stepped to the podium knowing her words wouldn’t be welcome by at least some club members critical of her famed history project with The New York Times.

In emails circulating online, one member of the storied 143-year-old civics organization had called Hannah-Jones a “discredited activist” who was the wrong choice to speak about King’s legacy, while a second member was generally critical of her involvement in the controversial history project and 2021 book that reexamined the beginnings of the country through the gaze of slavery. Both claimed Hannah-Jones mischaracterized King.

But Hannah-Jones had a plan. She began with a more revolutionary and activist stance on topics such as Black empowerment, white apathy and inaction by moderate whites. Finally about