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Winner of a 2020 Pulitzer Prize Special Citation, Ida B. Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1862. In this inspiring and accessible biography, Duster tells the incredible story of Wells’s life, including stories from her childhood in Mississippi, her famous refusal to give up her seat on a ladies’ train car in Memphis, and her later work as a pioneering journalist and anti-lynching crusader. Overlooked and underestimated, Wells would single-handedly change the course of American history and come to inspire millions. Ida B. the Queen shines a bright light on one of the most extraordinary women in history.
After reading Black AF History, I found myself drawn to the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells. Her name echoed through the pages as a woman who defied the odds, challenged injustice, and reshaped the landscape of American activism. So when I picked up Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster, Wells’s great-granddaughter, I knew it would be powerful. What I didn’t expect was how deeply it would move me.
This book is not just a biography. It is a tribute, a celebration, and a reminder that one voice can change everything.
Wells’s documentation of lynchings was one of the most courageous acts of journalism I have ever read about. At a time when speaking out could cost her life, she chose truth. She did not stop at reporting. She investigated, exposed, and demanded accountability. Her work helped shape investigative journalism into what it is today. Many of the journalists we admire now, the ones who dig deep and challenge power, are walking in her footsteps.
Reading her story made me reflect on how storytelling itself can be a form of resistance. Wells did not just write history. She made it.
Michelle Duster’s writing feels accessible, vivid, and full of heart. She shows Wells not only as an icon but also as a woman—complex, relentless, and deeply committed to justice. I found myself inspired not only by what Wells accomplished but also by her unwavering belief that her voice mattered.
As someone who values truth and storytelling, this book reminded me why we speak up even when it feels difficult. Wells’s life proves that courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is steady, determined, and unshakable.
Ida B. the Queen is more than a history lesson. It is a call to action. The book bridges past and present, showing how Wells’s legacy continues to shape today’s movements for racial justice and equity. If you care about truth, activism, or the power of one determined voice, this is a book worth reading.
The Book Review Template is perfect for taking quick notes on how you feel about the characters, theme, plot, or whatever seems important to you. Additionally, there are helpful phrases and descriptors to help write your review.
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