Borntoslavesin1862,IdaB.Wellsbecameafearlessantilynchingcrusader,women’srightsadvocate,andjournalist.Wells’srefusaltoacceptanycompromiseonracialinequalitycausedhertobelabeleda“dangerousradical“inherdaybutmadeheramodelforlatercivilrightsactivistsaswellasapowerfulwitnesstothetroubledracialpoliticsofherera.ThoughsheeventuallyhelpedfoundtheNAACPin1910,shewouldnotremainamemberforlong,assherejectednotonlyBookerT.Washington’saccommodationismbutalsothemoderatinginfluenceofwhitereformerswithintheearlyNAACP.IntherichlyillustratedToTelltheTruthFreely,thehistorianMiaBayvividlycapturesWells’slegacyandlife,fromherchildhoodinMississippitoherearlycareerinlate-nineteenth-centuryMemphisandherlaterlifeinProgressive-eraChicago.
