Journalist. Suffragist. Antilynching crusader. In 1862, Ida B. Wells
was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi. In 2020, she won a
Pulitzer Prize.
Ida B. 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.
Ida B. the Queen tells the awe-inspiring story of an pioneering woman
who was often overlooked and underestimated--a woman who refused to exit
a train car meant for white passengers; a woman brought to light the
horrors of lynching in America; a woman who cofounded the NAACP. Written
by Wells's great-granddaughter Michelle Duster, this "warm remembrance
of a civil rights icon" (Kirkus Reviews) is a unique visual
celebration of Wells's life, and of the Black experience.
A century after her death, Wells's genius is being celebrated in popular
culture by politicians, through song, public artwork, and landmarks.
Like her contemporaries Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, Wells
left an indelible mark on history--one that can still be felt today. As
America confronts the unfinished business of systemic racism, Ida B. the
Queen pays tribute to a transformational leader and reminds us of the
power we all hold to smash the status quo.