The Center for Black Studies and the Women’s Studies program have joined together to celebrate famous journalist and activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett.

Floris Barnett Cash, an associate professor of African studies at the State University of New York in Stony Brook, will speak Wednesday morning about Wells’ life.

“[Cash] knows a lot about women’s movements in Chicago and New York,” said Jolene Skinner, program coordinator with Women’s Studies, “so she’s going to be focusing specifically on women in Chicago.”

Wells, who lived in Chicago during the early 20th century, is known largely for her work against lynching. This will be the focus of Cash’s presentation.

But, Cash also will speak tonight about women and volunteerism, which is the theme of this year’s Women’s History Month.

“[Cash] does look at volunteerism,” Skinner said, “but she also specifically looks at social action which is a little bit different because it is more politicized.”

Cash has written a book called “African American Women and Social Action” about the history of African-American women’s involvement in social action movements between 1896 and 1936. She refers to them as “Club Women” because they formed clubs that helped create welfare organizations, schools, orphanages and health centers.

Skinner expects both presentations to be informative and new.

“I’m going to be learning quite a bit just by attending the presentation myself,” she said.