Mar 29 - Truth Telling: Frances Willard and Ida B. Wells

Tuesday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom

In the mid-1890s, journalist and anti-lynching activist Ida B. Wells made headlines for her public criticism of Frances Willard, president of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Wells accused Willard of making racist remarks and not denouncing lynching. The two women, one black and one white, were drawn together in the cause for women’s rights but divided by race, privilege, age, and priorities.

Join us for a free Zoom presentation by Lori Osborne, Director of the Frances Willard House Museum and the Center for Women’s History and Leadership. This 45-minute presentation during Women’s History Month is based on their award-winning exhibit “Truth Telling: Frances Willard and Ida B. Wells,” which explores the context, timeline, and impact of this dispute. Locals may know that Willard lived in Oberlin as a very young girl while her parents attended Oberlin College, a claim she later used to try and defend herself against the accusations of racism. The presentation will be followed by Q&A from the audience. Register here to get a Zoom link.

Those who want to dive deep before the program can visit the exhibit website (https://scalar.usc.edu/works/willard-and-wells/index). The Frances Willard House Museum is located in Evanston, IL.