by Michelle Duster
Scott County Library hardcover 148 pages
Published: 2021
Genre: Non-fiction, Civil Rights, Biography
I don't remember why / how / when this book grabbed my attention, but I'm really glad I got it from the library and read it. Wow. I'd heard of Ida B. Wells before, but didn't really know much about her. The author is Wells' great-granddaughter.
From the back cover: "Journalist. Suffragist. Antilynching crusader. In 1862, Ida B. Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi. . . . Wells committed herself to the needs of those who did not have power. In the eyes of the FBI, this made her a 'dangerous negro agitator.' In the annals of history, it makes her an icon."
The "See You in Court" section amazed me. She challenged a railroad in the 1880s? As a Black woman?! Wow. What an incredible, strong woman.
Page 41: "Ida didn't realize it at the time, but the case was much bigger than her. A ruling in her favor would have set a precedent of Black people challenging Jim Crow laws. Young and naive, she was shocked and hurt to learn that her attorney had been bought off by the railroad."
This is so sad! A black lawyer takes money instead of a stand . . . but I'm sure the pressure was intense.
Page 41: "She never could have imagined that Black people would struggle for another eighty years before Jim Crow laws were officially struck down."
Again, this is so incredibly sad.
Page 43:
I love being able to read her journal entries. I love that she had faith in Jesus. I'm so sad that her experience "diminished her faith in the system," though I can see how that would happen.
Page 54: "But despite the fact that no one died, the white mob decided that the three Black store owners should still be lynched because they had the audacity to shoot at white men. They needed to get rid of the 'uppity' Negroes and teach all Black people a lesson. On the evening of Tuesday, March 9, a mob entered the jail (they were probably let in, as there was no sign of a break-in) and dragged Moss, McDowell, and Stewart out of their cells. They were taken by railcar about a mile north of Memphis city limits and tortured before they were killed."
Again, so incredibly sad to read about this . . . three men who were successful businessmen ambushed, tortured, and murdered. No wonder Ida B. Wells got upset!
Page 87: "However, after he won the election, Wilson's administration reversed course: The Post Office and the Department of the Treasury were ordered to segregate."
The fact that Wilson said one thing before he was elected and did the opposite once elected is not exactly shocking, but incredibly frustrating.
This book was eye-opening and thought-provoking. I'm thankful I read it. The author included lots of photos, artwork, signs, etc.
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