The subject of our next profile was a contemporary of Robert McCormick, but their upbringing, politics, and the causes they championed couldn’t have been more different. Many Chicagoans know Ida B. Wells, because of the housing project named after her. But the woman behind the name is less well known. Born to slaves in Mississippi, she grew up to be one of the country’s loudest voices against the lynching of African Americans. She fought for women’s suffrage and helped create the NAACP. Wells lived much of her life in Chicago after being exiled from the south. Earlier this year, biographer Paula Giddings released “Ida: A Sword Among Lions”. Giddings says that in addition to the public achievements, the book also delves into Wells’ personal life.