Ida B. the Queen

Author Michelle Duster delivers her biography of her great grandmother, Ida B. Wells, with obvious admiration and love. She moves smoothly from past to present as she documents Wells's life from her birth into slavery through Reconstruction, her role in establishing the NAACP, her work in the suffrage movement, and her lasting impact as it is acknowledged by today's Black activists. Duster keeps the listener engaged as she moves smoothly between the narrative and interesting side notes that elaborate on people and events. The weakness of this audiobook is her recitation of a timeline. Although it's valuable because it goes beyond Wells's life to highlight Black activism through our time, it is difficult to follow by ear. The illustrated book adds depth and context. N.E.M. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine