Ida B. Wells: Discovering History's Heroes

Discovering History's Heroes

by Diane Bailey

Ida B. Wells was an African-American journalist and activist who led an anti-lynching crusade in the United States in the 1890s.

On one fateful train ride from Memphis to Nashville, in May 1884, Wells reached a personal turning point. Having bought a first-class train ticket, she was outraged when the train crew ordered her to move to the car for African Americans. She refused and was forcibly removed from the train—but not before she bit one of the men on the hand. Wells sued the railroad, winning a $500 settlement. However, the decision was later overturned by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

This injustice led Ida B. Wells to pick up a pen to write about issues of race and politics in the South. Using the moniker “Iola,” a number of her articles were published in black newspapers and periodicals. Wells eventually became an owner of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight, and, later, of the Free Speech.

She even took on the subject of lynching, and in 1898, Wells brought her anti-lynching campaign to the White House, leading a protest in Washington, DC, and calling for President William McKinley to make reforms.

Ida B. Wells never backed down in the fight for justice.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Childrens

160 pages, Paperback

Published August 27, 2019

Reviews

[Beyond the Pages with Eva K · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick Summary: A great ES/MS no-fi reading resource

My Review: Ida B. Wells: Discovering History's Heroes by Diane Bailey was filled with historically relevant information on an AA woman of great reputation. The writing approach that the author took was clear and informative. Young readers should find the information easy to digest and understand.

My Final Say: I would highly recommend this book for an AA history focus class for young children. It would also be ideal for a women's history class, a U.S. history class, and/or a multicultural studies class.

Other: It would be a beneficial addition to any library.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA (upper elementary school to middle school population)

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing, Aladdin), and to NetGalley for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

[Jaclyn Hillis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never learned about Ida B. Wells in school, so this was a very informative read for me. It was written very simply so it would be easily understood by young readers. I also love there is a glossary for words they may not already know. I highly recommend this for young readers and people that have never heard of Ida B. Wells - what an inspiration!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Isabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them."

Ida B. Wells by Diane Bailey is the first book of the Discovering History's Heroes series that I have read so far and I am a big fan! If you want your children (or you yourself) to learn about the history of African Americans, this is the book for that. If you want to show your girls that with perseverance they can do big things in the world, this is the book for that. Instead of just a quick overview of her life, there was a lot of detail in this book that really brings it to life. Wells was a real hero and this book truly showcased that. I also liked the glossary in the back that explained some of the words that not every child may know yet.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up in the New collections because I realized I really didn't know too much (if anything) about Ida B. Wells. Sometimes I enjoy grabbing a youth non-fiction book because it jumps right to the critical parts of the information and this did not disappoint.
Ida B. Wells served such a critical role in social changes for Blacks in the late 1800 and early 1900's. In particular, she often wrote (she was a journalist) about the injustice the black community dealt with and the "punishment" of lynching they often were given. Particularly after a beloved merchant suffered this fate.
I would offer this book up for anyone wanting to read about social justice for Blacks, powerful women, and the history of Chicago (as she "settled" down here and Chicago named an honorary street after her).

[Kristin R · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great biography for upper elementary school kids. I honestly didn't know anything about what Ida B. Wells did. It was a fascinating read and she was an amazing woman for many reasons. Her relentless and tireless work to be a strong independent black woman at a time when that was very difficult. She spent her life working to improve the rights of black people in the US and to try to stop lynching. An inspiration!

[Elisha Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I really enjoyed reading about Ida B Wells. One reason is that my daughter has a fighting spirit so it was so helpful for her to see a woman who channeled that energy into helping others. It was helpful for me to see that too. This was also a great summary book- we learned a lot about her life in a book around 130-140 pages. I'll look more into this series to keep giving my kids exposure to heroes--God please help them look up to people other than Taylor Swift.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned of the incredible Iday B. Wells only a few years ago so when I came across this brief book for middle readers - I grabbed it. I enjoy learning about topics through young readers authors - its a quick and accessible way to get an overview and to see if I want to go deeper.

[Em (Makenna) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an arc of this book on netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

Interesting book about the life of Ida B. Wells, it just was a little long.

[Mary Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of Ida B. Wells until seeing this book. It was extremely interesting to learn her story. She was very strong and never gave up. I am excited to teach my students about her.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of "I didn't know that" moments. If you don't read this title about Ida B. Wells--read some thing else about her! She's amazing!

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book for young readers but i wanted to easily learn about Ida B Wells. I like the book & the subject matter.

[BB · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ida B. Wells (1862–1931) was an African American journalist and civil rights leader known for her work against lynching. She co-founded the NAACP and advocated for racial equality and women's suffrage.
Very informative for any children's library, this book is aimed at upper elementary kids. It is easy to follow, and the illustrations are eye-catching. While it may be a bit long-winded for some children, it remains very interesting and contains very important content. Both my daughters found it empowering and inspiring.