Read Senior Editor Susan J. Douglas's 8 reasons to make a tax-deductible donation to In These Times.

Who Would Ida B. Wells Vote For?

By Laura S. Washington

Racism or sexism — which is worse? Take your pick. Paula Giddings’ new biography, Ida: A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching, offers both options. The always compelling, at times calamitous, life of this underappreciated black heroine is examined in exhaustive detail by Giddings, a professor of Afro American studies at Smith College. Wells, an… return to article

  • subscribe to print magazine

  • Zoom OutZoom In Reader Comments (3)

    Page 1 of 1 pages

    it is a good thing that ida (isola) is getting some recognition

    its about time.Giddins biography needs to be read and

    appreciated.I know shes not david sirota but hey.

    United States Posted by headed on Apr 30, 2008 at 8:05 AM

    I must agree with the author when she says that the racism that is occurring in this country is a more serious issue than the sexism. 

    I think it’s partly because women are used to doing double duty and carrying the load; we don’t always see that as discriminatory, more as just the way things are.  But when I see how the African American women that I know are struggling (and with things that many middle-class white women don’t even realize are an issue), I know that something needs to be done.

    An honest, open dialogue about race relations is long overdue in this country.  I had hoped the whole Reverend Wright flap would get that conversation started, but it appears as though that whole thing has just degenerated into media sensationalism. We can’t depend on the media to get this conversation started. We have to start talking among ourselves.

    When I talk to white people about racism, they often bring up the KKK and other hate groups. While these groups don’t help anything, they aren’t the main problem for most of the black women I know; it’s more the bankers, real estate agents, lending institutions, police, credit card companies, retail employees, employers, landlords; those people who exercise their power every day to give or withhold accounts, loans, business, credit, housing, mortgages, jobs, living wages, etc.  Those are the everyday problems for many African Americans and it seems to me that white people, for the most part, are just not seeing it.

    Check out my blog: www.madashellliberal.blogspot.com

    United States Posted by Kansasliberal on Apr 30, 2008 at 1:00 PM

    I can’t say enough about this book.The readers of in these times

    should really make an effort to check it out.Giddins worked for over six

    years researching and writing her efforts should be applauded.

    It may run a little long but it runs deep.

    United States Posted by headed on Apr 30, 2008 at 7:01 PM
    Page 1 of 1 pages

  • register a new account »Posting Security

    To participate in our forums, please register for a free account.
     

    Retreive lost password »

Article Appeared in this Issue

Full contents
Past issues

Popular Discussions