The Memphis Diary of Ida B. Wells

by Miriam DeCosta-Willis (Editor)

A complete edition of her diary tracks the life of a young schoolteacher and journalist who became a fearless crusader against lynching in the late nineteenth century while struggling with growing violence against blacks in the post-Reconstruction South.

Genres: History, Memoir, Nonfiction, Race, Biography, Womens, Historical

214 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book in my early 20's which is the same age Wells was during the writing of much of her diary. The themes reflected in the diary are issues of concern to many women in that age range--- romance, finances and future plans.
Most of the diary entries are short but the editor does a good job painting in the details of Wells's life and community.
This book is a bit of an academic read but I would recommend it to any history buffs.

[Katharine Holden · Rating 1 out of 5]

These diaries are interesting only in that they exist. They're not interesting to read. Mostly, they pre-date Wells' activism days.

[Izzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

this book focuses on a ida b. wells as she develops into her career and a woman.

it’s actually really cool how we have and can read excerpts form wells’ diary. sometimes i did feel like the selected entries didn’t evoke as much importance as explained in the book.

having her diaries at all is amazing but there were a lot of monotonous entries that i felt didn’t encapsulate what the introduction promised. i felt like i was skimming through a lot of information.

i did of course like the anecdotes about her blossoming into a journalist and woman.

one quite in the way beginning HIT ME SO HARD:

“Nearly every woman who has had dreams of a career and a life outside the boundaries prescribed for women reports this same sense of psychological stasis—Carolyn Heilbrun calls it ‘female moratorium’—a period in which the young woman feels strongly that she has a vocation but is unable to recognize it or make it or move forward toward developing her career.”

[monica park]

lowkey ida b wells is so real

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I am not happy & nothing seems to make me so. I wonder what kind of creature I will eventually become?"

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the fall, I went to a workshop on journaling as a spiritual practice, and the facilitator recommended this book. I wasn’t familiar with Ida B. Wells, but was intrigued when I looked up both her and the book. It went on my TBR.

Honestly, while there were a few gems and other interesting tidbits here and there, Wells wasn’t a very compelling diarist. There were a lot of notes about money—what she spent, minor debts she’d incurred, paying those debts back when she got paid. It was often difficult to keep track of everyone she mentions: friends, family, landladies, various young men who were interested in her (and her lack of interest in return!), but the editor’s detailed notes did a fantastic job of walking the reader through the context of Wells’ life. Overall, this was interesting as a glimpse into the life of a young Black woman in Memphis in the late 1800s, but it would have been more interesting in the larger context of Wells’ life and other writing, which I’d really like to explore further.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I'd read one of her biographies first - it was an interesting read about a fascinating woman, but not a great introduction to her achievements. Very well researched and clearly written, it was worth reading for sure.

[April Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all diaries, this wasn't meant to be read by anyone other than its author, so it is not written to entertain, but it also is invaluable for insights about who this famous reformer was, before she was famous.