The 1701 Project

Submissions are now open for The 1701 Project!

For this round of publication, we’re looking for non-fiction work of any length which in some way contributes to our mission (outlined below) and participates in anti-racist thought. Historical essays are welcome, as well as work which follows a less traditional format.

Submissions will close midnight on January 2, 2022. Please submit your works through this Google form: https://forms.gle/25Fr7twV7Gm3DDeh9

Mission Statement

The 1701 Project is a venture led by The Yale Historical Review (YHR) that analyzes our university’s and our nation’s racist histories. Although not affiliated with The 1619 Project, we draw inspiration from Nikole Hannah-Jones and her colleagues’ examination of slavery’s legacies in the New York Times. In June 2020, we launched an ongoing program at the YHR, providing a space for repressed narratives at Yale and beyond.

We recognize and regret the ways in which American historical accounts and education have failed the Black community by neglecting—even refusing—to tell their stories. History has too often been told by and for those of privilege. Much work remains to be done to publish the words of those who have been marginalized and silenced.

However, our outrage and alliance are not enough; we must commit our words to action. As a historical journal, we must assume our particular duty to share forgotten stories with our readers.

We also seek to broaden this discourse beyond New Haven. Indeed, every institution of higher learning has its own troubled past. To extend this conversation across campuses, we have allied with over 20 publications across the country. Above all, we dedicate The 1701 Project and our broader initiative to confronting and connecting our shameful past to the present. Only then can we start to create a better future.