The diaries of the youthful Ida B. Wells (1862 - 1931), the most
powerful figure in the crusade against lynching. Started at age 24,
this diary, published here for the first time in its entirety, is
an exploration of a young woman's growth and development. It is
also the diary of a black woman whose later political activism and
journalism had impact on American history. In unguarded prose,
edited by DeCosta-Willis (African-American Studies/Univ. of
Maryland; Erotique Noire/Black Erotica, not reviewed), Wells
documents the many details of her life in the then-booming town of
Memphis: her frustration with teaching; her struggle to support her
family (orphaned at 16, she was left with her aunt to care for five
younger siblings); her desire to write and remain true to her
ideals of self She agonizes over bills, spends too much on
clothing, and receives an abundance of "gentleman callers." At 25,
she is the sole unmarried female teacher in her school, and while
she longs for love she is also unconventional in her career
aspirations and her lack of interest in marriage. Wells's diary,
covering the period 1885 - 1887, is remarkable as it is one of the
few diaries of an African-American woman from the late 19th
century. DeCosta-Willis provides context and additional
information. She also includes a few brief travel journals,
excerpts of a later diary, and Wells's first published journalism,
which is especially noteworthy because in some of the articles
Wells specifically challenges the social construction of black
women in America. She examines the stigma of "immorality" and
counters that "there are among us mothers, wives and maidens who
have attained a true, noble, and refining womanhood." In her
foreword, Mary Helen Washington provides a literary context for the
diary and Dorothy Sterling's afterword satisfies the reader's
curiosity to know more about the woman Wells became. A meticulously
edited contribution to the study of American women's diaries and
late-19th-century women's and black history. (Kirkus Reviews)
Published for the first time in its entirety, The Memphis Diary of
Ida B. Wells tracks the young Ida through her transition from
schoolteacher to a fearless crusader against lynching in the late
19th century. This unique document provides rare insight into the
lives of 19th-century African-American women. Features a foreword
by Mary Helen Washington.
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