Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told

Book Summary:

Ida B. Wells: Let the Truth Be Told by Walter Dean Myers is a powerful biography that introduces readers to the life and legacy of Ida B. Wells, a pioneering African American journalist, civil rights activist, and suffragist. The book traces her journey from her childhood in the Reconstruction-era South to her fearless fight against lynching and racial injustice through writing, public speaking, and organizing.

Recommended Questions:

1. Why did Ida B. Wells risk her life to reveal the truth about lynching?

2. How did Wells use journalism and public speaking to challenge both racial and gender discrimination?

3. Ida faced both racial and gender discrimination. Why would it be unfair to expect her to prioritize advocacy for one marginlized group over the other?

4. Listen to the song “Wait My Turn” from the musical Suffs, sung by the character portraying Ida B. Wells. How does this song reflect Ida’s story and character? How does it help you better understand her?

5. This book includes several direct quotes from Ida’s writings. Choose one quote (or research another) and explain its significance. How does it connect to her activism and commitment to justice?

6. The book describes Ida’s unfair treatment on the train and the lawsuit she won as a result. Why do you think her train seat story is less well known than Rosa Parks’ story?

7. Why was it unfair for white suffragists to ask Ida to march in the “separate colored section” during President Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration?

8. How did Ida B. Wells’ activism challenge the United States to live up to its founding ideals of freedom, equality, and justice for all citizens?

Standards:

NCSS Theme 6: Power, Governance and Authority

This book describes how Ida B. Wells challenged the misuse of power and authority in American society. Through her investigative journalism and activism, she exposed how laws and institutions upheld racial violence and inequality. Wells’ courage in demanding justice illustrates how individuals can question and reform systems of power to promote fairness, equality, and democratic values.

Social Justice Anchor Standard 14: Understanding Impact

Ida B. Wells’ story illustrates how power can be misused to uphold unjust laws and maintain systems of racial oppression. At the same time, Wells demonstrates how individuals can use their own power—through writing, advocacy, and truth-telling—to challenge inequality and promote justice for the common good.

WA Civics 1: Understands key ideals and principles of the United States

This book connects to C1 because Wells’ fight for justice highlights the gap between America’s founding ideals of equality and the lived realities of Black Americans. Her activism demonstrates the importance of holding the nation accountable to its constitutional principles of freedom, justice, and equal protection under the law.