Ida B. Wells puts Holly Springs on tourism map
“Ida Comes Home” was the theme for a weeklong series of events in Holly Springs, Thursday, July 12 through Sunday, July 15, celebrating the life and times of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
The inaugural annual Ida B. Wells-Barnett Social Justice Weekend program sponsored by the city of Holly Springs in collaboration with Rust College and the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum came to a successful conclusion and featured several activities including symposia, keynote address, banquet, drama play, gospel music concert, art exhibition, and 5K Run/Walk competition.
Both the city and Congress of the United States made proclamations to honor the legacy of Ida B Wells-Barnett, in her recognition as “Mother of Civil Rights and Social Justice” in the country. Mayor Kelvin Buck presented a proclamation on behalf of the city while Congressman Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi sponsored the U.S. Congress proclamation from Washington, D.C.
Rust College, announced by the president Dr. David L. Beckley, also bestowed an honorary doctorate degree posthumously on Ida B. Wells-Barnett for her contribution to journalism, civil rights advocacy, and humanitarian works in the United States.
The first panel presentation moderated by renowned economist and media commentator, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, included Rust College academicians Dr. Gemma Beckley, professor and chair of Social Work Department, Dr. Hilda Williams, assistant professor of English, and Michelle Duster, a writer and public speaker, who also a great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
The panelists consider Wells-Barnett motivation for what she did in civil rights struggle from different facets of her life, such as economist/business, social work, religion, and politics of respectability perspectives. Malveaux described Wells-Barnett as a vivacious, audacious, and outspoken lady who against all odds was able to transcend over challenges in her crusade for social justice. She was born into slavery but did not let slavery define who she was and became.
Beckley highlighted three considerable contributions of Wells-Barnett that put her as one of the pioneers of social work practice and profession. Her role as founder and organizer of the first Black Women’s Club in 1893 that later morphed to become the National Association of Colored Women’s Club for social uplift of women, and protecting women from a punitive penitentiary system. Second, in 1910, Wells-Barnett established the first women settlement home for Negro women fellowship league; and third, her service as the first adult probation officer for the Municipal Court of Chicago, from 1913 to 1915.
From theologian and religious perspective, Williams posits that Well-Barnett as a feminist being was called by God in her crusade for social justice and transformation, similar to Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. Williams said Wells-Barnett answered the call to serve based on the early influences of her religious exposure and the deeply religious home environment of her parents. To Wells-Barnett, her crusade for social justice and civil rights is simply a ministry in response to the call by God to protect the dignity of fellow beings.
Duster sheds light on another aspect of Wells-Barnett from business and economic considerations in her sometimes uncompromising nature particularly when she rebuffed seemingly unreasonable demands from male funders on how to run the Negro Women Fellowship League she founded. She disagreed, and independently sourced for alternative funding from the community, churches, and other women’s groups. As a writer and journalist, Duster describes Wells-Barnett as a creative, innovative and independent thinking woman who was able to find funding and support for the several ventures she was into, including publishing and distribution of her pamphlets.
The 1960s civil rights involvement by Rust College key administration personnel and students in Holly Springs and Marshall County took center stage with the second panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Leslie McLemore, a former Jackson councilman and Jackson State University professor.
McLemore and co-panelists, Rev. Clifton Whitley, Larry Rubin, Dr. Johnnie Harris, and Dr. William Scott recount their individual and collective experiences in civil rights movements in Holly Springs. Except for Rubin who came to Rust and Holly Springs as a civil rights worker to assist and direct the Mississippi Freedom School, the other panelists McLemore, Scott, and Harris were students, and Whitley, a faculty member and chaplain. Each attributed to Rust College the student leadership skills and civil rights movement participation they experienced at Rust, as the basis for their eventual civic engagement in their communities.
Scott, class of ’66, said a political rally he attended growing up in Indianola, where Bob Moses spoke sparked his motivation and determination when he enrolled at Rust. That he too could make a change. Along with other students, Scott participated in marches and voters registration in Marshall County. They helped with organizing and founding of Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964.
Whitley recounts the obstacles he experienced in his attempt to secure absentee ballot to vote in U.S. elections while serving abroad in the U.S. army in 1952. He was denied; his commanding officer asked him, “Aren’t you from Mississippi? Well, Black folks in Mississippi don’t vote.” Whitley had a similar experience in 1954, as a wounded serviceman. He was in an evacuation hospital in Seattle, Washington, where he was recuperating, and requested an absentee ballot for another U.S. election. He was told again, Blacks in Mississippi don’t vote, and was not given the ballot to cast vote. He said the Long Hot Summer Civil Right Project in Mississippi thus sparked his interest, and decided that was for him, and joined.
Rubin, on the other hand, in the ‘60s was an outsider, a civil right activist and a worker from the North. He served as executive director of Mississippi Freedom Schools in Holly Springs. Apart from helping to organize the movement, Rubin also coordinated efforts to collect books from various sources in the North for distributions to libraries, schools, and churches in the South. At one time he was arrested on way to Oxford, hauling books in U-hall, and charged with carrying “printed material”, a treasonable offense with intent to overthrow the government of Mississippi.
Harris, class of ’64, from Columbus, served with McLemore on student leadership activism. McLemore, Rust class of ’64, brought his high school student political activism experience to Rust when he enrolled. As president of Student Government Association, McLemore led several marches and boycotts to places in Holly Springs and Marshall County, engaged in voters registration, and also the organization of Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.
The inaugural annual Ida B. Wells-Barnett Social Justice Weekend program sponsored by the city of Holly Springs in collaboration with Rust College and the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum came to a successful conclusion and featured several activities including symposia, keynote address, banquet, drama play, gospel music concert, art exhibition, and 5K Run/Walk competition.
Both the city and Congress of the United States made proclamations to honor the legacy of Ida B Wells-Barnett, in her recognition as “Mother of Civil Rights and Social Justice” in the country. Mayor Kelvin Buck presented a proclamation on behalf of the city while Congressman Bennie G. Thompson of Mississippi sponsored the U.S. Congress proclamation from Washington, D.C.
Rust College, announced by the president Dr. David L. Beckley, also bestowed an honorary doctorate degree posthumously on Ida B. Wells-Barnett for her contribution to journalism, civil rights advocacy, and humanitarian works in the United States.
The first panel presentation moderated by renowned economist and media commentator, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, included Rust College academicians Dr. Gemma Beckley, professor and chair of Social Work Department, Dr. Hilda Williams, assistant professor of English, and Michelle Duster, a writer and public speaker, who also a great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells-Barnett.
The panelists consider Wells-Barnett motivation for what she did in civil rights struggle from different facets of her life, such as economist/business, social work, religion, and politics of respectability perspectives. Malveaux described Wells-Barnett as a vivacious, audacious, and outspoken lady who against all odds was able to transcend over challenges in her crusade for social justice. She was born into slavery but did not let slavery define who she was and became.
Beckley highlighted three considerable contributions of Wells-Barnett that put her as one of the pioneers of social work practice and profession. Her role as founder and organizer of the first Black Women’s Club in 1893 that later morphed to become the National Association of Colored Women’s Club for social uplift of women, and protecting women from a punitive penitentiary system. Second, in 1910, Wells-Barnett established the first women settlement home for Negro women fellowship league; and third, her service as the first adult probation officer for the Municipal Court of Chicago, from 1913 to 1915.
From theologian and religious perspective, Williams posits that Well-Barnett as a feminist being was called by God in her crusade for social justice and transformation, similar to Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. Williams said Wells-Barnett answered the call to serve based on the early influences of her religious exposure and the deeply religious home environment of her parents. To Wells-Barnett, her crusade for social justice and civil rights is simply a ministry in response to the call by God to protect the dignity of fellow beings.
Duster sheds light on another aspect of Wells-Barnett from business and economic considerations in her sometimes uncompromising nature particularly when she rebuffed seemingly unreasonable demands from male funders on how to run the Negro Women Fellowship League she founded. She disagreed, and independently sourced for alternative funding from the community, churches, and other women’s groups. As a writer and journalist, Duster describes Wells-Barnett as a creative, innovative and independent thinking woman who was able to find funding and support for the several ventures she was into, including publishing and distribution of her pamphlets.
The 1960s civil rights involvement by Rust College key administration personnel and students in Holly Springs and Marshall County took center stage with the second panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Leslie McLemore, a former Jackson councilman and Jackson State University professor.
McLemore and co-panelists, Rev. Clifton Whitley, Larry Rubin, Dr. Johnnie Harris, and Dr. William Scott recount their individual and collective experiences in civil rights movements in Holly Springs. Except for Rubin who came to Rust and Holly Springs as a civil rights worker to assist and direct the Mississippi Freedom School, the other panelists McLemore, Scott, and Harris were students, and Whitley, a faculty member and chaplain. Each attributed to Rust College the student leadership skills and civil rights movement participation they experienced at Rust, as the basis for their eventual civic engagement in their communities.
Scott, class of ’66, said a political rally he attended growing up in Indianola, where Bob Moses spoke sparked his motivation and determination when he enrolled at Rust. That he too could make a change. Along with other students, Scott participated in marches and voters registration in Marshall County. They helped with organizing and founding of Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party in 1964.
Whitley recounts the obstacles he experienced in his attempt to secure absentee ballot to vote in U.S. elections while serving abroad in the U.S. army in 1952. He was denied; his commanding officer asked him, “Aren’t you from Mississippi? Well, Black folks in Mississippi don’t vote.” Whitley had a similar experience in 1954, as a wounded serviceman. He was in an evacuation hospital in Seattle, Washington, where he was recuperating, and requested an absentee ballot for another U.S. election. He was told again, Blacks in Mississippi don’t vote, and was not given the ballot to cast vote. He said the Long Hot Summer Civil Right Project in Mississippi thus sparked his interest, and decided that was for him, and joined.
Rubin, on the other hand, in the ‘60s was an outsider, a civil right activist and a worker from the North. He served as executive director of Mississippi Freedom Schools in Holly Springs. Apart from helping to organize the movement, Rubin also coordinated efforts to collect books from various sources in the North for distributions to libraries, schools, and churches in the South. At one time he was arrested on way to Oxford, hauling books in U-hall, and charged with carrying “printed material”, a treasonable offense with intent to overthrow the government of Mississippi.
Harris, class of ’64, from Columbus, served with McLemore on student leadership activism. McLemore, Rust class of ’64, brought his high school student political activism experience to Rust when he enrolled. As president of Student Government Association, McLemore led several marches and boycotts to places in Holly Springs and Marshall County, engaged in voters registration, and also the organization of Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party.