Wright College author Michelle Duster is the great-granddaughter of Ida B. Wells. Not only did this inspire a book to capture Wells' legacy, but Duster recently appeared on Chicago’s WBEZ podcast “Making". 

Last year she published a book on her great-grandmother Wells titled “Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells".

Wells was a prominent Black journalist and activist. She used her influence in the late 19th century to tell the story of the plight of African Americans. She died in 1931.

Duster has worked as a tutor at Wright College writing center since 2016.  Her role allows her to work with a diverse group of students, including some who have been previously incarcerated, immigrant students eager to start new lives and even older students interested in changing careers.

Duster understood to tell Well’s fascinating story on the podcast, she had to draw from her personal experience as well as years of research and writing. She believes people need to be more aware of the importance of her great-grandmother's legacy.

“Her story is under-told,” Duster said, “And the reality of slavery and Reconstruction is important for people to know. Black Lives Matter didn’t come out of nowhere. I saw a pattern of backlash to Black progress that is important for people to understand.”