Dan Duster, the great-grandson of civil rights activist Ida B. Wells, discussed the importance of standing up for justice in a lecture Wednesday night at Helen C. White as part of the nationwide Ethnic Studies Week.
Duster said his great-grandmother and her prominent role in the anti-lynching movement influenced him to carry out her legacy and spread her message through his lecture series he calls ""Stand Up For Justice and Do the Right Thing.""
Duster said it is important to spread information about the problem of injustices. He said today, as in the time of Ida B. Wells, it is crucial to apply the problem to society as a whole.
""[Wells] had the foresight to broaden the problem, and that's what she did constantly,"" Duster said. ""It wasn't just about me and you. It's about rights. It's about justice.""
Wells began her social activism after speaking out against lynching in her controversial newspaper, The Memphis Free Speech. From there she began to use her surroundings and ingenuity to aid her cause, according to Duster.
Duster said Wells used boycotts to affect the local economy in order to draw attention to her cause.
""Economics works extremely well with racism because if it's not economically sustainable, folks won't do it,"" Duster said.
According to Duster, injustices must be addressed in our everyday lives, even if that means making the unpopular move and speaking out.
""And while we don't see lynching today, we still see a lot of injustices,"" Duster said.
Not simply accepting an injustice, but instead finding the mentality to overcome that injustice is a way to differentiate yourself from a guilty bystander, Duster said.
""The thought process is often like, ‘somebody needs to do something.' You are that somebody, you can be,"" said Duster.
Ethnic Studies Week is a national event at many universities with the goal to promote ethnic studies. During the week, ""students, faculty and staff are able to actively engage with people, cultures and ideas they might not otherwise encounter,"" according to the Ethnic Studies Week website.
