Defining Democracy: The ‘1619’ Summer Incubator – Jun 19

Posted by Pulitzer Center on May 27, 2025

The Pulitzer Center is excited to announce our 1619 Education Initiative of 2025: the 1619 Summer Incubator. The Summer Incubator is a paid three-part teacher development program that invites education professionals to propose projects that use 1619 materials to engage their learning communities with themes of democracy, workshop these projects through gatherings with other education professionals, and receive direct funding to implement the project in fall 2025.

The 1619 Summer Incubator  encourages educators to develop projects that are locally relevant. The program provides educators the opportunity for peer review, personal learning, and exposure to additional curricular resources, including Pulitzer Center reporting, to supplement their work. Though each project that selected participants develop in the program will be unique, the unifying theme of American democracy brings them together in a shared story of impact.

This program launches as many schools, from the levels of kindergarten through university , are preparing to recognize the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. The 1619 Summer Incubator aims to provide an opportunity for educators who want to approach those discussions in a collaborative and innovative way that leads to sustained impact beyond their individual classrooms.

Learn more and submit your application by June 19.