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Ida B. Wells played an important role in the history of civil rights. She came of age during a time when the injustices of the Jim Crow system were becoming entrenched in American life. Despite this, she was a tireless crusader for the political and social rights of African Americans and women, lending her voice and her pen to a range of issues that included the anti-lynching campaign and women’s suffrage. Listen to learn about the life of Ida B. Wells and her journey from the daughter of enslaved people to civil rights activism.
Story Length: 5:10
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Seventy-two years after the first American women’s rights convention in 1848, the states ratified the 19th amendment, affirming and constitutionally protecting a woman’s right to vote. It was one of the most important political milestones in U.S. history. This audio story commemorates the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment by the House of Representatives. Listen to hear reporter Cokie Roberts answer listener questions ranging from how changing perceptions of women influenced the passage of the 19th amendment to how women of color were impacted when it passed.
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Was there a single event that launched the modern Civil Rights Movement? Some argue that it was the death of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old boy viciously beaten and murdered in Mississippi in 1955. Till’s murder gained national attention, in large part because of his mother’s decision to hold an open casket funeral. After years of appeals by the Till family, the Justice Department recently decided to reopen its investigation into the killing. Listen to hear a cousin of Emmett Till describe the impact of the murder on her family and the nation and question how justice can be served in a case more than a half-century old.
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Histories of the women’s suffrage movement often focus on famous names like Susan B. Anthony. But many other women fought hard to secure passage of the 19th amendment ensuring women’s right to vote, and their contributions are often overlooked. In particular, women of color, queer women, and even conservative anti-suffrage women are often left out of the narrative. Listen to hear about some of these often-overlooked voices in American history and how their perspectives can give us a richer understanding of the fight for women’s suffrage.
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The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama commemorates the history of racial terror in the U.S., including slavery and the lynching of thousands of African Americans following the Civil War. The memorial is frank about the brutality and violence of this chapter in American history, and therefore the experience of visiting it might be painful and difficult. However, curators hope that the discomfort of the memorial might spark reflection and conversation that could help America heal. Listen to learn more about how memorializing America’s history of slavery and lynching can inform the present day.
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