ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Help bring important scholars, artists and activists to the University of Delaware and ensure that the Ida B. Wells Lecture continues to challenge, educate and inspire our community.

The Ida B. Wells Lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Department of Women and Gender Studies at the University of Delaware. The lecture is named for Ida B. Wells, an investigative journalist and early civil rights activist who spoke to audiences across the country to expose the horrors of lynching. Its goal is to elevate the work of marginalized scholars, artists and activists and to expose University of Delaware students, faculty, staff and alumni to their work. The Ida B. Wells Lecture reflects the mission of the Department of Women and Gender Studies to provide students with the tools to develop their critical perspectives as scholars and social activists by promoting the use of intersectional approaches to recognize interlocking systems of oppression, whether they concern patriarchy, gender, race, class, ethnicity, age, sexuality and/or nationality. Through this event, UD students and faculty are exposed to important topics that enrich academic discourse and deepen understanding of social justice issues. 

Past speakers include Chanel Miller, New York Times best-selling writer and artist, Brandon Wolf, LGBTQ+ rights advocate and leader in the movement to end gun violence, and Dr. Yusef Salaam, criminal justice reform advocate and one of the Exonerated Five from the Central Park Five case.

THE IMPACT OF YOUR SUPPORT 

Your gift will help sustain the Ida B. Wells Lecture and bring important voices into conversation with the University of Delaware community. Donor support helps the Department of Women and Gender Studies invite distinguished scholars, artists and activists to campus and create opportunities for students to engage directly with people whose work addresses some of the most pressing questions of justice, inequality and social change.

These experiences extend learning beyond the classroom. They expose students to new perspectives, deepen their understanding of intersectional approaches to social and political issues and create opportunities for dialogue across the University and the broader community. Your support helps ensure that the Ida B. Wells Lecture can continue to educate, challenge and inspire future generations of UD students.