Biography
Early Life
Nikole Hannah-Jones was born in Waterloo, Iowa. She spent part of her childhood in public housing. Her family later moved to the suburbs of Des Moines. She saw clear differences between wealthy and poor families while growing up. She noticed how often Black and white communities were kept apart. These early experiences helped shape her passion for telling stories about inequality.
Hannah-Jones was raised in the Catholic faith. She attended high school in Iowa. She became interested in journalism. Her first published article asked whether Jesus was Black. This article won her an award. She joined the Iowa High School Press Association. There she began developing her writing voice.
Activism & Journalism
Hannah-Jones is now a well-known journalist and activist. Her work has changed how many people think about race, history, and justice in the United States.
She studied History and African American Studies at the University of Notre Dame. She began her journalism career at The News & Observer in North Carolina after college. She wrote powerful stories about public education and civil rights.
Hannah-Jones joined ProPublica in 2011. This is a nonprofit newsroom focused on investigative journalism. She wrote about housing discrimination, school segregation, and racial injustice. Her strong reporting earned her several awards. Two important journalism awards she won were the Peabody Award and the George Polk Award.
The 1619 Project
Hannah-Jones launched The 1619 Project in 1619. This was a major initiative sponsored by The New York Times Magazine. The project marked 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in what would become the United States. It told the story of America by centering the role of slavery and the contributions of Black Americans.
The project featured essays, stories, and art from many writers. Hannah-Jones wrote the lead essay titled, “Our Democracy’s Founding Ideals Were False When They Were Written. Black Americans Have Fought to Make Them True.”
The project sparked debate and won praise. Hannah-Jones was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2020. She became the first Black woman to receive that honor.
Hannah-Jones co-founded the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting. This group supports journalists of color. She was offered tenure at the University of North Carolina. There were delays from the board in making the appointment. She eventually declined the offer. She instead accepted a position at Howard University as the Knight Chair in Race and Journalism.
She launched the 1619 Freedom School in 2022. This is a free literacy program for students in her hometown of Waterloo.
Religious Activism
Hannah-Jones has said that churches should follow Jesus by speaking truth, seeking justice, and supporting education so that all children can succeed.
Hannah-Jones led a group of Black scholars to the Vatican in Rome in 2022. They met with Bishop Paul Tighe to discuss reparations for slavery. The group asked the Catholic Church to take responsibility for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. They also asked the Catholic Church to repeal historic church decrees that supported slavery.
Although the Vatican has not yet made a full apology, Hannah-Jones continues to speak out for truth, justice, and repair. Her work calls people to face hard truths to build a more just and equal world.
