FORTHCOMING WORK

Forthcoming Books that Include Chapters by Michelle

Michelle Duster wrote chapters about her great-grandmother, Ida B. Wells, for two books that will be released by mid-2025.

A Handbook of Black Feminist Theories

Edited by Carole Boyce Davies (Bloomsbury Press)

Chapter: “Ida B. Wells: Refusing to Accept Second-Class Standing”

Junctures in Women's Leadership: Journalism and Communication

Edited by Linda Steiner (Rutgers University Press)

Chapter: “Ida B. Wells: Journalist Warrior for Justice”

IDA B THE QUEEN (Published January 26, 2021)

Ida B. Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1862. In this inspiring and accessible book, Michelle Duster shares the life and legacy of her great-grandmother Wells. She highlights the pioneering work as a journalist, anti-lynching crusader, and suffragist through a contemporary lens. Overlooked and underestimated, Wells single-handedly changed the course of American history and has inspired millions. IDA B THE QUEEN shines a bright light on one of the most extraordinary women in history.

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Edited Books

This edited collection explores how First Lady Michelle Obama gradually expanded and broadened her role by engaging in social, political and economic activities which directly and indirectly impacted the lives of the American people, especially young women and girls. The volume responds to the various representations of Michelle Obama and how the language and images used to depict her either affirmed, offended, represented or misrepresented her and its authors. It is an interdisciplinary evaluation by African American women and girls of the First Lady’s overall impact through several media, including original artwork and poetry. It also examines her political activities during and post-election 2016.

(Co-edited with Paula Marie Seniors and

Rose C. Thevenin)

Something happened and motivated these quiet activists to make an impact on their family, organization, or community. They chose to speak up about issues they care about. Some are following a tradition of generational activism. Others became involved for the first time and suddenly realized they were engaged in activism. IMPACT: Personal Portraits of Activism gathers poems, short stories, and personal essays from around the world to show how actions big and small can lead to some form of justice.

A standout book, IMPACT won the 2021 Best Book Award in Current Events and was a Finalist for Social Change with the American Book Fest. In addition, the book was a 2021 Indie Book Award Finalist in two categories: Anthology and Social Change.

(2020 - Co-edited with Trina Sotira)

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Through short stories, essays, and poems, 35 women from different age groups, geographic locations, marital status, parenting status, professions, and sexual orientations share their experiences of growth as a result of change. This inspirational book highlights the strength of women as their life shifts ultimately lead to increased confidence and internal peace.

(Co-edited with Trina Sotira, 2015)

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Other Books for Children

TATE AND HIS HISTORIC DREAM

Tate put off writing his fourth grade history paper until the last minute and would still rather play outside with his friends than work on the paper. While staring blankly at the picture that includes a group of people who made an impact on the history of the United States, he suddenly finds himself interacting with them. Through interesting dialogue and questions, Tate learns how these 28 historic African American figures worked together or influenced each other. As a result of his experience, he is motivated to learn more and feels that he, too, can make a difference. (Co-written with Bernard C. Turner, 2015) Click here to purchase

EXPLORING OUR HISTORY

Through the activities in Exploring Our History, 4th - 8th grade educators will help students understand that trailblazers and innovators have courage, persistence, confidence and fortitude. Students will learn the importance of learning their history, following their curiosity, critical thinking, and researching. These 10 fun and interactive activities meet the needs of diverse learners and increase the level of student engagement and rigor within the learning setting. The multiple learning activity options support literacy development and are aligned to the Common Core State Standards.(Co-written with Bernard C. Turner, 2016)

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Segments Written

Essay:

Yet, We Continue to March Together

In this powerful and needed collection, editor Angela P. Dodson brings together the voices of more than thirty-five accomplished women writers on the topic of violence and injustice against Black men. These writers are journalists, authors, scholars, ministers, psychologists, counselors, and other experts.

(To be released April 30, 2024)

Essay about Experience Working with Bill on Ida B. Wells Film

William Greaves is one of the most significant and compelling American filmmakers of the past century. He produced, directed, shot, and edited more than a hundred films on a variety of social issues and on key African American figures. This volume brings together a wide range of material, including a mix of incisive essays from critics and scholars, Greaves’s own writings, an extensive meta-interview with Greaves, conversations with his wife and collaborator Louise Archambault Greaves and his son David. (May 2021)

Foreword

This anthology collects the best of Echoing Ida for the first time. Imagining a gender-expansive and liberated future, these essays affirm the powerful combination of #BlackGirlMagic and the hard, unceasing labor of Black people to reimagine the world in which we live. (January 2021)

Essay About After Effects

of 1919 Chicago Race Riot

Four Hundred Souls is a unique one-volume “community” history of African Americans. The editors, Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, have assembled ninety brilliant writers, each of whom takes on a five-year period of that four-hundred-year span. The writers explore their periods through a variety of techniques: historical essays, short stories, personal vignettes, and fiery polemics.

(February 2021)

Afterword

Originally published 1970, the book relates Ida B. Wells’ private life as a mother as well as her public activities as a teacher, lecturer, and journalist in her fight for equality and justice. (2020) Read Evans review here

Essay: A Centennial Reflection

These articles, written by subject matter experts, were originally published by the Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission (WSCC) as a part of the WSCC blog, The Suff Buffs. The Women's Suffrage Centennial Commission was created by Congress to commemorate 100 years of the 19th Amendment throughout 2020 and to ensure the untold stories of women’s battle for the ballot continue to inspire Americans for the next 100 years. (2020)

E-book - Click here for articles

Introduction

This book is a guide for the current state of affairs in American culture, enlivened by the historical perspective of Wells’ search for justice. The authors are an African-American woman and a child of white supremacy. Both have dedicated themselves to working, writing, and developing ministries oriented toward justice, equity, and mercy. (2019)

Chapter:

My Ancestor, My Inspiration

Examines the impact of Black women across the cultural landscape of the United States.

Matthews, Phillips, Jones, Smith - ABWH (2012)

out of print books

IDA FROM ABROAD

In 1894, Ida B. Wells returned to England where she continued to speak about the lawlessness in the United States. Her column, “Ida B. Wells Abroad,” for The Daily Inter Ocean newspaper and some personal correspondence provide a vivid picture of the challenges, triumphs, alliances and obstacles that Ida B. Wells encountered in her efforts to elicit support from the British to impact change in the United States. Michelle Duster and Troy Duster, PhD, descendants of Ida B. Wells, add historical context and personal experiences to help put the work and legacy of Ida B. Wells into perspective. (2010)

IDA IN HER OWN WORDS

The generation of African Americans who had hopes that the end of slavery would be the end of their injustice eloquently documented how those hopes had not come to pass. A small group of four people contributed to a pamphlet entitled The Reason Why the Colored American is not in the World’s Columbian Exposition. Thousands of pamphlets were distributed at the fair. Class Legislation and Lynch Law, written by Ida B. Wells, were two sections included in the pamphlet. The pieces give a glimpse for today's readers to understand the cruelty and hypocrisy of the country at that time. Michelle Duster and Troy Duster, PhD, descendants of Ida B. Wells, add historical context and personal experiences to help put the work and legacy of Ida B. Wells into perspective. (2008)