Chicago should be proud to honor Ida B. Wells
There are several organizations that have proposed renaming Balbo to honor my great- grandmother Ida B. Wells- Barnett. I understand that there are some with strong feelings about the city of Chicago continuing to honor Italo Balbo with both a street name and monument in the downtown area.
My great- grandmother, Ida B. WellsBarnett, should be able to receive honor from the city without it causing ire fromanyone. She was born a slave and spent over 45 years of her life fighting for justice and equality for women, African- Americans and other marginalized people. She was a journalist, civil rights activist and suffragist, among other things. After fleeing the South as a result of death threats, shemarried and settled in Chicago, where she worked and raised her family for the last 35 years of her life.
I amhopeful thatwewill figure out some kind of solution regarding street names that makes everyone feel that things are fair. In the meantime, I want to believe that those who are passionate about honoringmy great- grandmother will support the efforts to create amonument in her honor. The Ida BWells Commemorative Art Committee, of which I ama part, has been involved in this project for 10 years and counting. That is way longer than I ever expected, considering the fact thatmy great- grandmother was one of themost well- known of her day and the sculptor, Richard Hunt, is world- renowned. Let’swork to get the IdaB. Wellsmonument funded by her July 16 birthday and completed as soon as possible after that.
With amonument on the land where the Ida B. Wells Homes once stood, plus whatever honors will be bestowed upon her downtown, Chicago should feel proud to honor an African- American woman who was a trailblazer and national leader. Ida B. Wells- Barnett was a longtime resident of Chicago and spent her life fighting for truth, justice and equality.
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