The musical '1619: The Journey of a People' takes its name from a date that reshaped the nation. On August 20, 1619, twenty enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia—the first of their people to be brought to the shores of this nation. The 400-year journey that followed would change a nation and the world. Written by playwright, professor, and performer Dr. Ted Williams III, the production premiered in August 2019 to mark the four-hundredth anniversary of that arrival.
Rather than a conventional history lesson, the production is a multi-disciplinary theater experience told through the eyes of three modern characters, weaving together hip-hop, jazz, and other musical forms with a cast of singers, actors, spoken word artists, and dancers. It traces the arc of the African American experience—from the beginning of American slavery through Reconstruction, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights era, and the modern movements for justice—while tackling critical contemporary social issues. Its tagline carries a note of hard-won optimism: 'on the other side of the trial lies greatness.'
Ted Williams III is a graduate of Rutgers University, the University of Chicago, and Northern Seminary. He chairs the Social Sciences Department at Kennedy-King College, one of the City Colleges of Chicago, where he teaches political science. He is an adjunct professor at Wheaton College, hosted the public affairs talk show 'The Professors' on WYCC-PBS, and has provided political commentary for WGN-TV, NBC-TV, and 'Upfront with Jesse Jackson.' As an actor, he has appeared in commercials and on shows like NBC's 'Chicago PD' and Showtime's 'The Chi.' He is the author of 'The Way Out: Christianity, Politics, and the Future of the African American Community' and a former candidate for the Chicago City Council. In 2021, inspired by the need to teach elementary school children American history, he launched the 1619 Musical Chicago Public Schools arts-integrated educational program.
Since its world premiere in August 2019, the production has been performed more than a dozen times throughout Chicago and at various locations including Elmhurst College, Wheaton College, and Hampton University. It has been featured in the Chicago Defender, the Daily Herald, and on WCIU, V103, WVON, and Fox32 Chicago. The production was funded by the Illinois Arts Council and nominated for the 2020 August Wilson Award for Best Writing of a Musical by the Black Theater Alliance Awards. Williams is also an Illinois Humanities Road Scholar.
The Connie Link Amphitheatre in Normal, Illinois, is a fitting setting for such a production. Nestled along the Constitution Trail at 621 South Linden Street, it is a short walk or bike ride from Uptown Normal. The venue features a graded lawn sloping toward the stage, permanent restrooms, and a concessions stand where everything costs two dollars, cash only. Smoking and alcohol are prohibited, and patrons are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. The amphitheatre is named in honor of Connie J. Link, a lifelong educator, mentor, speech coach, and theater director who was a driving force behind Normal's High School Summer Theatre program for 32 years before her passing in 2008. Today the venue hosts live music, children's programming, and theater, all presented by the Town of Normal's Cultural Arts Department. Normal LIVE, part of the Cultural Arts Department, produces the live music series at the amphitheatre all summer long with free, family-friendly performances.
The musical packs generations of history into a two-hour experience, using the language of American music—jazz and hip-hop—to tell a story that is at once specific and universal. It is recommended for audiences of all ages. In the words of the production itself, it will leave audiences both inspired and challenged.