Public History Projects

Initiated by Michelle, the Chicago Womxn's Suffrage Tribute Committee was formed and commissioned two murals to celebrate Chicago-area women suffragists and women's political progress since the passage of the 19th Amendment. Located near Wabash & Harrison in downtown Chicago, On the Wings of Change, by Diosa (Jasmina Cazacu) was completed in October 2021. 

With the initiative of the League of Women Voters, support from Michelle, over 60 organizations, and Aldermans Sophia King and Brendan Reilly, the major street of Congress Parkway was changed to Ida B. Wells Drive  on July 25, 2018.  The signs were unveiled at a February 11, 2019 ceremony. 

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Michelle Duster worked with the Ida B. Wells Commemorative Art Committee from 2008 to develop a monument in honor of Ida B. Wells at 37th & Langley, on the land where the Ida B. Wells Homes stood from 1941-2002. It was created by Richard Hunt and dedicated on June 30, 2021  

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Watch dedication ceremony here (84 mins)

Michelle worked with Alderman Sophia King (4th ward) to have 37th Street from King Drive - Vincennes bear the honorary street name of Ida B. Wells Way.  It is located 1/2 block away from the 3624 S. King Drive home where Wells lived from 1919 - 1930. It was unveiled on July 20, 2019.

On July 20, 2019  an historical marker was placed at 37th & Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Chicago to honor both the housing community that was originally named after Ida B. Wells in addition to her life and legacy. Michelle wrote the text and artwork was created by David Anthony Geary.

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The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum in Ida's hometown of Holly Springs, MS initiated the idea of creating a marker to honor the parents of Ida B. Wells.  Michelle wrote the text for this piece that is located in 

Hillcrest Cemetery. 

Commissioned by the Memphis Suffrage Monument Committee chaired by Paula Casey, the monument was created by sculptor Alan LeQuire. It features 13 Memphis-based leaders, including Ida B. Wells. Michelle co-wrote the text for the Ida B. Wells panel. It is located on the river side of the University of Memphis Law School. The dedication ceremony was on March 27, 2022. 

In the late 1980s, trailblazing filmmaker, William Greaves produced the first documentary film about Ida B. Wells.  Michelle worked on the film as a researcher 

and tech assistant.  

Click here to learn about the film. 

 Commissioned by the Chicago Womxn's Suffrage Tribute Committee, text-based Speak Up, by Dorian Sylvain will celebrate the achievement of Kamala Harris, the first woman and person of color to become Vice President of the United States. The goal is to have it completed by the end of 2022. Click here for more information and to support the project.