Jane Addams Hull-House Museum’s Women’s History Month presentation and conversation featuring author and advocate Michelle Duster in conversation with author and social justice communications strategist Essence McDowell.
Hull-House celebrated Women’s History Month with Michelle Duster author of the new book “Ida B. the Queen” (Atria/One Signal Publishers 2021) a visual stunning portrait of the Duster’s family, black life in Chicago, and the life and legacy of Dusters great grandmother, journalist and anti-lynching activist, Ida B. Wells.
Duster was joined in conversation by Essence McDowell co-author of “Lifting As They Climbed” a book and walking tour and virtual interactive that maps the significant Black women activist on the South Side of Chicago. The book’s titled is inspired by the motto of the National Association of Colored Women’s Club, co-founded by Ida B. Wells
Michelle Duster is a writer, speaker, professor, and champion of racial and gender equity. In the last dozen years, she has written, edited, or contributed to sixteen books. She cowrote the popular children’s history book, Tate and His Historic Dream; coedited Impact: Personal Portraits of Activism; Shifts: An Anthology of Women's Growth Through Change; and Michelle Obama’s Impact on African American Women and Girls; and edited two books that include the writings of her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells. She has written articles for Essence, Glamour, People, Refinery29, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, and The North Star.
Essence McDowell is a communications strategist, organizer and co-author of “Lifting As They Climbed: Mapping a History of Black Women on Chicago’s South Side.” She utilizes media, digital design and communications technologies to amplify the work of community institutions and justice-based organizations. Essence has worked with numerous national and local entities including the Illinois Humanities Council, Chicago Torture Justice Memorials, Chicago History Museum, and Chicago Public Library. She is currently the Director of Communications at the Social Justice Initiative at University of Illinois Chicago and a member of the international All-African People's Revolutionary Party.
Hull-House has partnered with black-owned and-operated The Silver Room as a book partner for this event. Purchases “Ida B. the Queen“ at The Silver Room and support black own book sellers.
University of Illinois Chicago recently launched the Ida B. Wells Scholarship Fund that helps offset college costs for students matriculating from 20 partner Chicago high schools in underserved communities whose enrollment is more than 95% African American. Learn more and support the fund here.
Presented in partnership with Reaching Across Illinois Library System, Aurora Public Library, Gail Borden Public Library, Arlington Heights Memorial Library, and Schaumburg Township District Library
Current Exhibitions at Hull-House. Visit Virtually!
