“The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.”
If the quote happens to look familiar, take a look at the top right corner of Atlanta Free Speech’s website to confirm your curiosity. This is a quote by the NAACP co-founder, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, the woman who left behind a legacy worth celebrating and revering.
Starting on July 11, 2014, the 18th annual birthday celebration of Ida B. Wells-Barnett will span over a course of three days in her hometown, Holly Springs, Mississippi. This celebration will commemorate 152 years of Ida B. Wells-Barnett and provide an opportunity for others to further educate themselves about the civil injustices that Wells-Barnett courageously challenged in her life as a leader, journalist and teacher.
The first day of the celebration will be the opening ceremony lead by Mayor Kelvin Buck and will follow into a display showcasing different art and civil rights era memorabilia at the Eddie L. Smith Multipurpose Center.
The second day of the birthday celebration will be another display of the arts at the anticipated commemorative banquet. However, in this highlighted showcase, the attendees will be fully immersed into a very personal and expressionistic performance by Safiya Bandele, a performer from New York City, who will deliver a portrayal of Ida B. Wells-Barnett. This unique one-woman monologue will consist of several different artistic movements including dance, and other physical expressions to narrate the life of the woman who shed light on the civil issues that plagued African-Americans and women during Wells-Barnett’s era. The performance will take place at Rust College (formerly known as Shaw University) which happens to be the alma mater of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
The celebration continues highlighting America’s civil rights “crusader for justice” at the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum and Cultural Center of African-American History, where attendees will be given a tour, providing them with the knowledge of what the 19th century African-American family had to endure.
Those in attendance will also take part in a family meet and greet, where members of Wells-Barnett’s legacy will discuss some of the issues that have and continue to affect the African-American community, including Tiana L. Ferrell, Publisher of Atlanta Free Speech and great-great granddaughter of Wells-Barnett. Atlanta Free Speech happens to be a revival of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight that was co-owned by Wells-Barnett.
Much of Wells-Barnett’s legacy consisted of bringing awareness to different parts of the nation and the world as a journalist and a public speaker. Her journey began as an educator and followed her as she highlighted concerns about lynching and other injustices that people of color and women had to face during this era. To celebrate her life and accomplishments in this annual event is an opportunity to go beyond just another historical and educational experience, but to fully understand and appreciate how far society has come because of activists and educators like Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
To learn more about the Ida B. Wells-Barnett celebration, click here.
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