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Passionate for Justice: Ida B. Wells as Prophet for Our Time
"In Passionate for Justice, we find a compass that points us to the future, where we can each give voice and action to justice, equity, and life-giving community. Ida Wells would have had it no other way."
--From the foreword by Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic Nominee for Governor of Georgia
"Meeks and Stroupe present a cogent, persuasive blueprint for achieving racial justice and equality in America."
--Publishers Weekly
Ida B. Wells was a powerful churchwoman and witness for justice and equity from 1878 to 1931. Born enslaved, her witness flowed through the struggles for justice in her lifetime, especially in the intersections of African Americans, women, and those who were poor. Her life is a profound witness for faith-based work of visionary power, resistance, and resilience for today's world, when the forces of injustice stand in opposition to progress.
These are exciting and dangerous times. Boundaries that previously seemed impenetrable are now being crossed. This book is a guide for the current state of affairs in American culture, enlivened by the historical perspective of Wells' search for justice.
The authors are an African-American woman and a child of white supremacy. Both have dedicated themselves to working, writing, and developing ministries oriented toward justice, equity, and mercy. This book can be used in all settings, but most especially in churches (pastors and other church leaders, study groups), seminaries, and universities.
--From the foreword by Stacey Abrams, 2018 Democratic Nominee for Governor of Georgia
"Meeks and Stroupe present a cogent, persuasive blueprint for achieving racial justice and equality in America."
--Publishers Weekly
Ida B. Wells was a powerful churchwoman and witness for justice and equity from 1878 to 1931. Born enslaved, her witness flowed through the struggles for justice in her lifetime, especially in the intersections of African Americans, women, and those who were poor. Her life is a profound witness for faith-based work of visionary power, resistance, and resilience for today's world, when the forces of injustice stand in opposition to progress.
These are exciting and dangerous times. Boundaries that previously seemed impenetrable are now being crossed. This book is a guide for the current state of affairs in American culture, enlivened by the historical perspective of Wells' search for justice.
The authors are an African-American woman and a child of white supremacy. Both have dedicated themselves to working, writing, and developing ministries oriented toward justice, equity, and mercy. This book can be used in all settings, but most especially in churches (pastors and other church leaders, study groups), seminaries, and universities.
160 pages, Paperback
First published September 17, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 23, 2020
Extremely concise, but not lacking weight in it's brevity, this book takes a look at the actions of Ida B. Wells as an activist for racial justice and a founder of the NAACP. Meeks and Stroupe find the intersection of Wells practice with their own lived experiences, and relate that to how we can tackle these issues in our present time.
February 2, 2020
It wasn't the book I thought I was getting (I had been looking for a biography of Ida B Wells), but maybe it was the book I needed. This is an interesting look at the concept of race, the reality of white supremacy in America - both historically, and today - through the lens of Ida B Wells and the realities and ideals of her life. I did learn more about her - and I am still amazed by the strength of commitment that she exhibited and her refusal to be defined by others, but this book was more than just a recounting of her life. I'm getting ready to start a collection of Wells' writing and I think this gave me a good foundation for that as well as some thoughts that will deepen my understanding of her work.
June 7, 2021
This book takes a look at the actions of Ida B. Wells as an activist for racial justice and a founder of the NAACP. Born into slavery, Ida B. Wells was determined to the justice and equality was a must for men and women of color. The book goes into detail about the passion that Mrs. Wells had for equality. This book is a guide for the current state of affairs in today's culture, enlivened by the historical perspective of Wells’ search for justice. It's really interesting, things that happened 100 years ago are still happening today in 2021.....The more things are suppose to change, they're really the same. How unfortunate....Please be mindful, you will have to answer for the mistreatment of people...one way or the other.
August 2, 2020
I'm baffled at how little of this book that's purported to be about Ida B. Wells is actually about Ida B. Wells. Even giving the authors the benefit of the doubt and allowing for the possibility that this is intended to be more of an exploration of Wells' legacy than a biography, that legacy is for the most part only explored as it applies to the authors themselves. A distressingly large chunk of this book is dedicated to a white man offering his advice to his fellow white people about how they can be better. I'm not saying there aren't plenty of appropriate places for white people to hold each other accountable for trying to lessen their roles in perpetuating racism. But a book about Ida B. Wells surely is a strange place to shoehorn in that lecture.
August 2, 2020
A surprising twist on biography as a lens through which to/a conversation partner and guide for seeking racial healing today. Rich, rewarding, and deeply inspiring. Most highly recommended, especially for people of faith "who are classified as white."
Please. Get it. Read it. Reflect deeply. Then act. Then consider reading it again.
Please. Get it. Read it. Reflect deeply. Then act. Then consider reading it again.
December 6, 2020
Got about three chapters in, and couldn't get into this. Returned to Library.
February 20, 2020
This is a must read book. There is so much to process after reading this title. I picked this book up because I always have had a keen interest in Ida B. Wells, Mary Mcleod Bethune and James Baldwin. Ida B. Wells was born during slavery and established quite a life for herself as an activist and defender of African American rights. So, I picked up this book thinking I would learn more about her as a person but instead what I found, was an interesting exchange between a White pastor and a Black professor. The exchange was engaging, uplifting and complicated. It was all connected to Ida B. Wells as a source of inspiration for wanting to make communities better overall. I think what is unique about this discussion surrounding race is that it comes from a very personal level. If you are White you get a point of view (that most likely) you can identify with on some level. If you are Black, you get a point of view that you too can probably identify with. Then there is the point of what does one do. That answer is not easy but reading this book will, I believe, force someone to think about how race plays a role in their life. I think Mr. Stroupe brings another uniqueness, which is one of a pastor. There are several references to God, Jesus and religion which is important here because one should remember that religion was used to help sustain slavery in America at one point. Here Stroupe explains how his faith led him down a path of understanding race and the impact race has had on Americans in general. This book is important and right on time.
May 29, 2021
I could not get past the preaching of the author. I didn’t think this was a book on religion. It was less about Ida B Wells than the authors. I was very disappointed in the book.
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July 21, 2025This was very different than what I was expecting. It's laid out like a Bible study, complete with numbered steps for change and discussion questions, but the focus was on how the life of Ida B Wells might hold some answers for our society/churches now.
October 27, 2022
Both authors respond to the life of Ida B. Wells from their own perspective and relate the issues Ida B. faced with what continues to face us to do - inherit racism among "white" Americans. Nibs' 7 "Rs" of steps (following a similar pattern of 10-steps of AA, GA, etc.) are great discussion starters. Wish they had gone deeper into the spaces that seem missing from her life and makes me want to read a fuller biography of her. But provocative reading that gives much to ponder as to where I (a white woman) continues to need to work on dismantling my own racism.
December 29, 2020
Passionate for Justice, Ida B. Wells, As Prophet for Our Time, helps us see Ida Wells in a more complete way.
The co-authors, Catherine Meeks and Nibs Stroupe, are well-positioned to offer two very unique perspectives. Meeks is black and a retired professor at Wesleyan College, and Stroupe, is white, and a retired pastor. Both live in Atlanta. Both have a long and rich history of promoting social justice.
The part about Wells being prophetic rings true, from the earliest pages of Passionate for Justice. An important quote from Wells, written in March, 1931, a few weeks before her death, stands as evidence:
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, and it does seem to me that notwithstanding all these social agencies and activities there is not that vigilance which should be exercised in the preservation of our rights. This leads me to wonder if we are not too well satisfied to be able to point to our wonderful institutions with complacence and draw the salaries connected therewith, instead of being alert as the watchman on the wall.”
The book that Meeks and Stroupe have written has at least three threads running through it: a historical perspective on Ida B. Wells, interwoven with Meeks’ and Stroupe’s own upbringing and life experiences, and a vibrant discussion on the deep-seated nature of white supremacy in the United States. The result is thought-provokingly powerful.
When her parents died, Wells took on the care of her siblings at sixteen years of age. When a friend was lynched, Wells took on the issue of lynching with a passion. She became a leading journalist on the topic, to the point of running her own newspaper. The offices of which were eventually burned to the ground by angry whites in Memphis. As a black woman crusading for women’s rights, she was shunned by white women who didn’t want to upset their peers living in the South. But as Passionate for Justice points out, Wells didn’t allow any of this to deter her.
Of her own upbringing in the South, Meeks writes: “My learned habit of keeping silent was challenged by the struggles for liberation that I had to navigate as a young African American women in college. As I was being asked to fight for the liberty of myself and for others, some of those challenges came too early in my life because I was not sure about my identity as a person. It was a terrifying experience… Wells models what it means to have an authentic self. I have always longed to be an authentic person.”
Miraculously, throughout her life, Ida B. Wells remained true to her self and did not let the pervasive white supremacy that surrounded her influence who she was.
Stroupe’s contribution to the book includes his honest deconstruction of white supremacy. “For the American context, it begins in the desire to remove the native peoples and to hold slaves and to remain Christians, all at the same time. It is a powerful theme in American history… Many of our white forebears argued that not only could we hold slaves and be followers of Jesus – many argued that God had ordained white supremacy and genocide and slavery.”
Stroupe’s take on the failure of Reconstruction (post Civil-War South) is equally strong: “I had been raised by white Southern culture to believe that the period of Reconstruction failed because black people were unable to handle power. The life of Ida Wells taught me an entirely different story: Reconstruction failed because white people did not want to share power with black people.”
In addressing the source of Wells’ resilience, Stroupe observes that “Ida Wells never accepted this idea of white supremacy. This affirmation of her equal humanity made her a vocal and fierce opponent of the system of race and the white supremacy that flowed from it.”
On the subject of colonialism, with deep roots in white supremacy, Meeks notes “The ways of the Africans were fascinating to the Europeans, who showed up in their [African] homeland with an air of superiority. The Europeans began to name what they saw and experienced without the ability to accept those who did not choose to live as they did. The projections… made it easy to devalue the people on the bases of projection instead of any real understanding of African culture.”
Despite the slow-movement of equality and equity in United States history, Meeks is cautiously optimistic. “The truth seekers have to stand up to be counted. The projections have to be replaced with reality, creating the brave space where a new narrative can be born. This is the path to salvation…The false images have to die… The white supremacy narrative created a false reality and it has to die. It is dying, and one of these days it will be replaced with a new narrative of inclusion for all of God’s children as equal humans on this earth.”
She goes on to note, “The conversation of this current era of repression and oppression has to be silenced and replaced with one of liberation and a new understanding of power, which can be derived from reimagining this country as a place where healing is possible and deeply desired.”
In the next chapter of Passionate for Justice, Stroupe points out the link between the judicial system which uses the difference between intent and result of law, citing the “Mississippi Plan” of the 1890s [restricting black rights] up to the point of an October, 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that used a North Dakota law to keep Native Americans from voting. “This distinction between intent and result is an essential tool in the white power work to preserve our current system of race.”
In the North Dakota case, state law required all voters to have a street address, but Native Americans living on reservations all had post office boxes. “No intent to discriminate based on race was expressed,” writes Stroupe, “but its purpose was clear – take the vote away from as many Native Americans as possible.”
“Jesus reminds us that we are called to see a whole new world, not a colorblind world or a non-racialized world. Rather, in the midst of our kind of world, we are asked to hear and see and acknowledge that God is in the ministry of reconciliation in Jesus. In the midst of this ministry, we are called to be “ambassadors for Christ,” (2 Cor. 5:20), not in the old individualistic get-me-into-heaven vein, but in the communal and eschatological vein of working for conciliatory measures of justice and equity and mercy in our lives now.”
In Stroupe’s view of things, conciliation [coming together] has to happen before reconciliation ever will.
With Passionate for Justice, Meeks and Stroupe have offered a deeper understanding of the life of Ida B. Wells, an incredible, vibrant black woman, to provide important lessons for our own times.
The co-authors, Catherine Meeks and Nibs Stroupe, are well-positioned to offer two very unique perspectives. Meeks is black and a retired professor at Wesleyan College, and Stroupe, is white, and a retired pastor. Both live in Atlanta. Both have a long and rich history of promoting social justice.
The part about Wells being prophetic rings true, from the earliest pages of Passionate for Justice. An important quote from Wells, written in March, 1931, a few weeks before her death, stands as evidence:
“Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, and it does seem to me that notwithstanding all these social agencies and activities there is not that vigilance which should be exercised in the preservation of our rights. This leads me to wonder if we are not too well satisfied to be able to point to our wonderful institutions with complacence and draw the salaries connected therewith, instead of being alert as the watchman on the wall.”
The book that Meeks and Stroupe have written has at least three threads running through it: a historical perspective on Ida B. Wells, interwoven with Meeks’ and Stroupe’s own upbringing and life experiences, and a vibrant discussion on the deep-seated nature of white supremacy in the United States. The result is thought-provokingly powerful.
When her parents died, Wells took on the care of her siblings at sixteen years of age. When a friend was lynched, Wells took on the issue of lynching with a passion. She became a leading journalist on the topic, to the point of running her own newspaper. The offices of which were eventually burned to the ground by angry whites in Memphis. As a black woman crusading for women’s rights, she was shunned by white women who didn’t want to upset their peers living in the South. But as Passionate for Justice points out, Wells didn’t allow any of this to deter her.
Of her own upbringing in the South, Meeks writes: “My learned habit of keeping silent was challenged by the struggles for liberation that I had to navigate as a young African American women in college. As I was being asked to fight for the liberty of myself and for others, some of those challenges came too early in my life because I was not sure about my identity as a person. It was a terrifying experience… Wells models what it means to have an authentic self. I have always longed to be an authentic person.”
Miraculously, throughout her life, Ida B. Wells remained true to her self and did not let the pervasive white supremacy that surrounded her influence who she was.
Stroupe’s contribution to the book includes his honest deconstruction of white supremacy. “For the American context, it begins in the desire to remove the native peoples and to hold slaves and to remain Christians, all at the same time. It is a powerful theme in American history… Many of our white forebears argued that not only could we hold slaves and be followers of Jesus – many argued that God had ordained white supremacy and genocide and slavery.”
Stroupe’s take on the failure of Reconstruction (post Civil-War South) is equally strong: “I had been raised by white Southern culture to believe that the period of Reconstruction failed because black people were unable to handle power. The life of Ida Wells taught me an entirely different story: Reconstruction failed because white people did not want to share power with black people.”
In addressing the source of Wells’ resilience, Stroupe observes that “Ida Wells never accepted this idea of white supremacy. This affirmation of her equal humanity made her a vocal and fierce opponent of the system of race and the white supremacy that flowed from it.”
On the subject of colonialism, with deep roots in white supremacy, Meeks notes “The ways of the Africans were fascinating to the Europeans, who showed up in their [African] homeland with an air of superiority. The Europeans began to name what they saw and experienced without the ability to accept those who did not choose to live as they did. The projections… made it easy to devalue the people on the bases of projection instead of any real understanding of African culture.”
Despite the slow-movement of equality and equity in United States history, Meeks is cautiously optimistic. “The truth seekers have to stand up to be counted. The projections have to be replaced with reality, creating the brave space where a new narrative can be born. This is the path to salvation…The false images have to die… The white supremacy narrative created a false reality and it has to die. It is dying, and one of these days it will be replaced with a new narrative of inclusion for all of God’s children as equal humans on this earth.”
She goes on to note, “The conversation of this current era of repression and oppression has to be silenced and replaced with one of liberation and a new understanding of power, which can be derived from reimagining this country as a place where healing is possible and deeply desired.”
In the next chapter of Passionate for Justice, Stroupe points out the link between the judicial system which uses the difference between intent and result of law, citing the “Mississippi Plan” of the 1890s [restricting black rights] up to the point of an October, 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision that used a North Dakota law to keep Native Americans from voting. “This distinction between intent and result is an essential tool in the white power work to preserve our current system of race.”
In the North Dakota case, state law required all voters to have a street address, but Native Americans living on reservations all had post office boxes. “No intent to discriminate based on race was expressed,” writes Stroupe, “but its purpose was clear – take the vote away from as many Native Americans as possible.”
“Jesus reminds us that we are called to see a whole new world, not a colorblind world or a non-racialized world. Rather, in the midst of our kind of world, we are asked to hear and see and acknowledge that God is in the ministry of reconciliation in Jesus. In the midst of this ministry, we are called to be “ambassadors for Christ,” (2 Cor. 5:20), not in the old individualistic get-me-into-heaven vein, but in the communal and eschatological vein of working for conciliatory measures of justice and equity and mercy in our lives now.”
In Stroupe’s view of things, conciliation [coming together] has to happen before reconciliation ever will.
With Passionate for Justice, Meeks and Stroupe have offered a deeper understanding of the life of Ida B. Wells, an incredible, vibrant black woman, to provide important lessons for our own times.
March 21, 2025
This was not the book I thought it was. I had gone looking for an audiobook that was a biography of Ida B Wells. While this book does touch on Wells’ life and history, it reads more like a workbook for Christians seeking education and foundation on addressing racial injustice in our US society.
One of the narrators, Catharine Meeks feels more comfortable reading than the other narrator Nibs Stroube. I felt like I learned a lot from both narrators as they discussed their own lives and how they had gained knowledge from reading about Wells.
I would not recommend this book to everyone but I was able to gleam from it some empowering information which I thought was very beneficial, though I would consider myself an atheist.
One of the narrators, Catharine Meeks feels more comfortable reading than the other narrator Nibs Stroube. I felt like I learned a lot from both narrators as they discussed their own lives and how they had gained knowledge from reading about Wells.
I would not recommend this book to everyone but I was able to gleam from it some empowering information which I thought was very beneficial, though I would consider myself an atheist.
September 18, 2020
Coronavirus (update: Coronavirus + Rebellion 2020) book review #42 – 4 stars
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book, and while extremely thought-provoking, the style was much different than I anticipated.
The two authors (one a Black Woman, the other a White Man, both born in the same county in segregated Arkansas, worlds apart) alternate writing chapters that conclude with a list of discussion questions. A biography of Ida B. Wells and her incredible work this is not.
There’s so much to unpack in this slim book, where to begin. Like many white people this year, I’ve expanded my reading and thinking life to better understand how I play a role in systemic racism.
Probably one of the more surprising ideas I’ve uncovered is the difference between White Jesus and Black Jesus. [Any Black person reading this is probably like d’uh but here my white self is in 2020 exploring it.]
I’ve never been particularly religious for many reasons, but it’s becoming more and more clear to me why I am not – White Jesus isn’t my cup of tea. The authors, both religious scholars, explain that White Jesus focuses on the individual salvation, of the type that allows someone to both be a “good person” while simultaneously justifying slavery and Jim Crow. In contrast, Black Jesus is a life-affirming force in the community to uplift.
The other hard truth offered up quite pointedly is that we [white people] were taught racism by the good people who loved us. And that to recover is much the same as being a recovering alcoholic. My name is Melanie and I’m a recovering racist. I must continually take steps to maintain my sobriety lest I slip back into my racist ways.
Let’s make ourselves uncomfortable in these conversations, even if they’re mostly with ourselves.
Cheers 2020, it’s been a hell of a year.
I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book, and while extremely thought-provoking, the style was much different than I anticipated.
The two authors (one a Black Woman, the other a White Man, both born in the same county in segregated Arkansas, worlds apart) alternate writing chapters that conclude with a list of discussion questions. A biography of Ida B. Wells and her incredible work this is not.
There’s so much to unpack in this slim book, where to begin. Like many white people this year, I’ve expanded my reading and thinking life to better understand how I play a role in systemic racism.
Probably one of the more surprising ideas I’ve uncovered is the difference between White Jesus and Black Jesus. [Any Black person reading this is probably like d’uh but here my white self is in 2020 exploring it.]
I’ve never been particularly religious for many reasons, but it’s becoming more and more clear to me why I am not – White Jesus isn’t my cup of tea. The authors, both religious scholars, explain that White Jesus focuses on the individual salvation, of the type that allows someone to both be a “good person” while simultaneously justifying slavery and Jim Crow. In contrast, Black Jesus is a life-affirming force in the community to uplift.
The other hard truth offered up quite pointedly is that we [white people] were taught racism by the good people who loved us. And that to recover is much the same as being a recovering alcoholic. My name is Melanie and I’m a recovering racist. I must continually take steps to maintain my sobriety lest I slip back into my racist ways.
Let’s make ourselves uncomfortable in these conversations, even if they’re mostly with ourselves.
Cheers 2020, it’s been a hell of a year.
November 5, 2024
I hate to give this book such a low score, as I don't feel that the score reflects Ms. Meeks, who is listed as the main author. I listened to the book, and it was read mostly by the second author, Mr. Stroupe. Most of the book wasn't actually about Ida B. Wells, but rather about the second author's journey through racism. That's fine, but I felt like the book wasn't the one I meant to read.
But the main reason I gave this book 2 stars is the extremely bad theology. The retelling of ancient histories in the experience of a small area of the world in a specific time so entirely removed from the original is simply bad. We can, of course, learn about ourselves, our relationship to God, and more from the Bible narrative. But we cannot yank the story of Jesus out of time and place, burden it with our meager understanding of what current issues are, and still retain truth. I actually stopped listening when I came across the first major issue (something like an hour in) but came back to it again.
Taking scripture out of context is what gives us bad ideas like "America is a shining city on a hill." This book has some bad ideas in it, and they have nothing to do with Ms. Wells.
But the main reason I gave this book 2 stars is the extremely bad theology. The retelling of ancient histories in the experience of a small area of the world in a specific time so entirely removed from the original is simply bad. We can, of course, learn about ourselves, our relationship to God, and more from the Bible narrative. But we cannot yank the story of Jesus out of time and place, burden it with our meager understanding of what current issues are, and still retain truth. I actually stopped listening when I came across the first major issue (something like an hour in) but came back to it again.
Taking scripture out of context is what gives us bad ideas like "America is a shining city on a hill." This book has some bad ideas in it, and they have nothing to do with Ms. Wells.
May 17, 2023
Ida Bell Wells was an incredible activist that I wish I had learned about earlier in more than passing reference. This book helped me expand my knowledge of this important hero of equity in America.
I really appreciated the balance of voices: Ida B Wells’ great granddaughter: Michelle Duster (intro), Rep. Stacey Abrams (foreward), black female Prof. Catherine Meeks, and white male Rev. Nibs Stroupe. These varied perspectives were very useful in contextualizing Wells’ life and applying her lessons to today.
The book told the story of Wells, but spent more time examining how her legacy has shown up for the culture at large and the authors in particular. Having black female and white male ally perspectives side by side was quite valuable for me as a white person. Questions for further reflection at the end of chapters and a discussion between the authors in the final chapter were useful didactic tools. I’d enjoy rereading this in a book club.
I really appreciated the balance of voices: Ida B Wells’ great granddaughter: Michelle Duster (intro), Rep. Stacey Abrams (foreward), black female Prof. Catherine Meeks, and white male Rev. Nibs Stroupe. These varied perspectives were very useful in contextualizing Wells’ life and applying her lessons to today.
The book told the story of Wells, but spent more time examining how her legacy has shown up for the culture at large and the authors in particular. Having black female and white male ally perspectives side by side was quite valuable for me as a white person. Questions for further reflection at the end of chapters and a discussion between the authors in the final chapter were useful didactic tools. I’d enjoy rereading this in a book club.
April 15, 2025
Passionate for Justice is a compelling and deeply moving exploration of Ida B. Wells’ life, legacy, and relevance in today’s world. The authors masterfully blend biography, theology, and social commentary to reveal Wells not only as a fearless journalist and anti-lynching crusader, but also as a moral and prophetic voice whose courage continues to inspire. This book doesn’t just recount history—it brings it alive with clarity and conviction. It honors Wells as a trailblazer whose fight for justice, truth, and human dignity resonates powerfully in our present struggles. The reflections on faith and activism are especially poignant, making this a must-read for anyone engaged in social justice work, faith-based advocacy, or simply seeking to understand the roots of resistance in America. A beautiful, insightful, and empowering read. Ida B. Wells’ voice echoes through these pages with urgency and grace. Highly recommended.
June 28, 2021
Ida B Wells, an unsung hero for our times.
I hadn’t read anything about Ida B Wells and when I saw this book, I picked it up. I’m glad I did. I knew nothing about this trailblazing woman and I should’ve. She was a strong woman, a forthright person and a force to be reckoned with. She’s a hero of women’s rights, of human rights and shows how to keep going no matter what. She witnessed some of the most awful things in history, but kept her head up.
There is a thread of discussion on race relations in this book as well as the upbringings of the authors, who weren’t alive during Wells’s time. This book requires the reader to think and consider their own upbringing in light of the world issues. This isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s worth the time.
If you’re looking for a book that’s thought-provoking, then this is the one for you.
I hadn’t read anything about Ida B Wells and when I saw this book, I picked it up. I’m glad I did. I knew nothing about this trailblazing woman and I should’ve. She was a strong woman, a forthright person and a force to be reckoned with. She’s a hero of women’s rights, of human rights and shows how to keep going no matter what. She witnessed some of the most awful things in history, but kept her head up.
There is a thread of discussion on race relations in this book as well as the upbringings of the authors, who weren’t alive during Wells’s time. This book requires the reader to think and consider their own upbringing in light of the world issues. This isn’t an easy book to read, but it’s worth the time.
If you’re looking for a book that’s thought-provoking, then this is the one for you.
December 23, 2020
The book covered Ida Wells' life story alongside the authors' encounters with race relations throughout their lives. All were raised in rural Alabama. The authors compared their white racism (Stroupe) and black injustices (Meeks) with Wells' confrontations and how she persevered. It did drag in spots, so I did not give it a full five stars.
One editing oversight was the use of the name "Ferdinand Douglass", which at times definitely referred to Frederick Douglass, and at other times to Wells' husband, Ferdinand Barnett.
All in all, I'm glad I know more about Ida Wells and her life-long work for black's and women's justice.
One editing oversight was the use of the name "Ferdinand Douglass", which at times definitely referred to Frederick Douglass, and at other times to Wells' husband, Ferdinand Barnett.
All in all, I'm glad I know more about Ida Wells and her life-long work for black's and women's justice.
May 6, 2021
Ida B. Wells was a passionate worker for women’s right to vote, be she black or white. She also worked against lynching and fought for those who had no rights. She was a journalist who helped cofounder many negro organizations including the NAACP.
This is written by Catherine Meeks, her granddaughter and Nibs Stoupe,a white pastor of a biracial church. The most interesting points of the book are his views of how a white person can overcome their hidden racist feelings and how things can be equalized.
This is written by Catherine Meeks, her granddaughter and Nibs Stoupe,a white pastor of a biracial church. The most interesting points of the book are his views of how a white person can overcome their hidden racist feelings and how things can be equalized.
January 1, 2024
I had saved this in my audio queue for a while, and was ready to spend time with it but unfortunately it just wasn't what I was looking for. I want to learn about Ida B Wells, and this was two people having a conversation about racial justice that was inspired by her and informed by things she did and said. Nothing wrong with it for the general journey to move this country ahead, but disappointing each time they would mention a fact of her life and I would be like- yes- tell me more about THAT!
August 5, 2020
This is a short book with only one chapter given to a brief biography of Wells. The remaining chapters deal with the emerging racial consciousness of Catherine Meeks, and African-American woman, and her co-author Nibs Stroup, a white man. Their dialogue, particularly in the final chapter, will be of interest to many whites, as they struggle to understand how racism is woven into the fabric of our society. (I'm white.)
January 6, 2022
Used this as material for a study group at the church I work for. Perfect for that format (it's short, clear, with accompanying questions for each chapter though we didn't end up using those). We found it immensely inspiring and led to fruitful conversation about how we (all white people in that group) push ourselves further in anti-racism work, in ourselves and in our communities.
I read her autobiography ("Crusade for Justice") at the same time and that was an excellent accompaniment.
I read her autobiography ("Crusade for Justice") at the same time and that was an excellent accompaniment.
June 18, 2023
Hoped for more of a biography of Wells. But Meeks also provides a window into the parallels between her journey and Wells' through her autobiographical reflection.
With all the attention to the present moment, there is a surprising absence of Bryan Stevenson and the lynching museum as a connection of ongoing work in the spirit of Wells.
Contains some thoughtful scriptural reflection and more theological perspectives on race than I anticipated.
With all the attention to the present moment, there is a surprising absence of Bryan Stevenson and the lynching museum as a connection of ongoing work in the spirit of Wells.
Contains some thoughtful scriptural reflection and more theological perspectives on race than I anticipated.
July 4, 2020
The book is by two Georgians -- a white retired minister and an African American college professor, telling stories about encountering racism in their lives, and occasionally referring to Ida B. Wells. There are some interesting books mentioned in the footnotes, but the book has no bibliography or index.
March 2, 2023
I picked to read this book because I wanted to know more about Ida B Wells. Unfortunately that is not what this book was about. While there were many excellent points made about race relations in our country, the whole book felt like the authors wanted to talk more about themselves than the amazing person who the book was supposedly about.
January 18, 2025
I think it was a good start for me to have a glance at who Ida B Wells was to my culture but it lacked the biographical element I was looking for. It was more pointed towards the perspective of two individuals and how her life affected theirs. I learned some things but I’m definitely going to continue with my quest for the autobiography.
November 17, 2020
I love this book, because it is so clearly and lovingly written, because I learned a lot about Ida B. Wells, and because it inspires me to do more work for social justice. The ways the different voices of the two authors were brought in was another wonderful feature.
July 22, 2020
Repetitive
December 19, 2020
I was disappointed not to learn more about Ida Wells, but this was a beautifully written discussion on race and justice in modern America. I learned so much I will continue to wrestle with.
December 27, 2020
More than a biography
The story of Ida B Wells is inspiring and should call us to action.
The ideas and steps for action are well articulated.
This book is worth the time to read.
The story of Ida B Wells is inspiring and should call us to action.
The ideas and steps for action are well articulated.
This book is worth the time to read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews