Voices of Revolution Part 2

Already about halfway into the book and to be expected it keeps getting better! This time around my favorite article was a tie between Ida B. Wells and her movement for anti-lynching and Margaret Sanger and her dedication to providing women with options, such as birth control.

Starting with Ida B. Wells and her commitment to Free Speech was truly the start of something positive to come. I can't help but to think how could people have thought the way they did back then and to act so cruel? Wells was far beyond her time and my favorite quote from her was, "there is only one thing left that we can do; leave a town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts, but takes us out and murders us in cold blood." The quote describes to a tee what life was really like and as the reader I can feel that cold chill that was meant to strike a chord. The picture from Voices of Revolution on page 91 is particularly disturbing. As the public can stand there and watch in joy of what they have done to an innocent life.

Black Migration was also interesting when reading how eager activists were to get African Americans to move to North and become employed. I really enjoyed reading that after WWI, when the soldiers came back to claim their jobs they had already been taking by the African Americans from the South and they weren't ready to give them back.

I think that Margaret Sanger and birth control go hand in hand with the chapter on "Free Love." It takes a strong person to not only stand up for what is right but to do so when almost everyone is against you. Thankfully because of Sanger women can have the right to control their bodies in the way in which they want and know that they have options, which can ultimately help preserve their health in the long-run. When it comes to controlling your own body you should also be able to change romantic partners is you wish to do so and basically follow YOUR OWN feelings.

It amazes me that out of so many people that lived during this era only a few were willing to stand up for the rights of others and had the courage and mentality to do so. How could only so few people know what was morally right and do something about it? It's a shame what others had to suffer and go through at our expense but if it weren't for the brave few the absurdity and horrific acts would have gone on a lot longer. This book is a wonderful in-depth look at each courageous warrior of journalism that changed the world for the better.