Mia Bay is een Amerikaanse historicus die zich verdiept in het rijke weefsel van de Afro-Amerikaanse geschiedenis en cultuur. Haar werk onderzoekt kritisch thema's als ras, identiteit en maatschappelijke verschuivingen met een scherpe analytische blik en een toegankelijke vertelstijl. Bay belicht cruciale momenten en figuren in de strijd voor burgerrechten en de bredere Afro-Amerikaanse ervaring. Door haar schrijven biedt ze lezers diepgaande inzichten in het verleden en de blijvende weerklank ervan in het heden.
"What was it like to travel while Black under Jim Crow? Mia Bay brings this dramatic history to life. With gripping stories and a close eye on the rail, bus, and airline operators who implemented segregation, she shows why access to unrestricted mobility has been central to the Black freedom struggle since Reconstruction and remains so today"-- Provided by publisher
Ida B. Wells's life journey from slavery to becoming a prominent antilynching crusader and women's rights advocate showcases her unwavering commitment to racial equality. Her bold stance against compromise and her critique of prominent figures like Booker T. Washington positioned her as a radical voice in civil rights. Mia Bay's richly illustrated narrative traces Wells's impactful legacy, detailing her childhood in Mississippi, her early journalism in Memphis, and her experiences in Progressive-era Chicago, highlighting her significant contributions to social justice.
Historical studies of white racial thought have focused on white ideas about the Negroes. Bay's study examines the reverse - black ideas about whites, and, consequently, black understandings of race and racial categories.