Aurora Methodists study U.S. slavery, contributions of African Americans

Wesley United Methodist Church, 14 N. May St. in Aurora, is hosting a Wednesday adult discussion series on "The 1619 Project," an August 2019 New York Times Magazine chronicling slavery in the U.S. and the contributions of black Americans.

The Rev. John Bell, Wesley UMC pastor, said the public is invited to the study in the church parlor. Included are a light dinner at 5:30 p.m. and discussion of articles from 6 to 7 p.m. Admission and parking are free.

The series opened Jan. 22 with discussion of an article by Nikole Hannah-Jones. No closing date has been set for the series.

Rev. Bell said, "It's important that our celebration of Martin Luther King Jr., and our commitment to end systemic racism not stop on Dr. King's birthday, but continue throughout the year.

"We will be studying The 1619 Project published this past year by The New York Times. We will gather on Wednesday nights to discuss several of the articles in the project."

The project's namesake is August 1619 when a ship appeared off Point Comfort, a coastal port in the English colony of Virginia, carrying more than 20 enslaved people from the African nations of Ndongo and Kongo. The slaves were sold to the colonists, marking the beginning of the system of chattel slavery that would last for the next 250 years. America was not yet America, but this was the moment it began.

"The 1619 Project" was introduced in the Aug. 18, 2019, The New York Times Magazine, a collection of journalism and historical inquiry that examines the many aspects of contemporary American life that can be traced back to slavery.

For information on the discussion series, call the church at (630) 896-1033.