Ida B. Wells: Discovering History's Heroes

IDA B. WELLS: DISCOVERING HISTORY'S HEROES, written by prolific children's author Diane Bailey, traces the life story of one of the most accomplished feminists and civil rights icons of the late 19th and early 20th century. At a time when few Black women were able to write about difficult political topics and get published, Ida's writing talent and dedication to social justice earned her the support and respect of major figures like Susan B. Anthony, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass. Born into slavery in Mississippi, Ida grew up during the difficult period of the Civil War and its aftermath, known as Reconstruction. Black Americans, especially in the South, were targeted by White racists who resented Black freedom. Groups like the Ku Klux Klan were part of a bigger movement to violently enforce white supremacy, making it almost impossible for Black people to find protection from police or the courts. Ida B. Wells spent her entire career trying to draw attention to the dangers and injustices faced by African Americans. She had to flee her adopted home of Tennessee because of the racial prejudice she faced as a woman of color willing to call out White mob violence. After moving to New York, she was never able to return to the South, at least until much later in life when she risked her safety to intervene on behalf of a group of men who were imprisoned and in danger of being lynched. Her selfless activism also extended into the world of labor organizing, the women's rights movement, and beyond. In addition to creating her own activist organization called the Negro Fellowship League (NFL), she was also a founding member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). All of these stories, as well as her family life, are highlighted in the book, with a helpful glossary in the back to aid and educate young readers.