Ida B. Wells - African-American Activist Of XIX Century

“The people must know before they act, and there is no educator to compare me with the press” - Ida B. Wells. A woman born into slavery, then puts her life on the line for what she believes in. Her words, journalism and activism is the legacy she left; Ida B. Wells an African American woman born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on July 16, 1862. Eldest of James and Lizzie Wells, Ida was born during the Civil War. After the war her parents went on to be politically active in the Reconstruction era. Her parents wanted her to be educated and she later enrolled in Rust College but was later expelled due to arguing with the president.

In 1878 Ida went to visit her grandmother during which the yellow fever hit her hometown and took her mother, father, and younger brother. She was left to care for the rest of her family on her own. To keep the family together she took a job as a teacher to provide for them. After a while she moved her family to Memphis, Tennessee and continued to work as an educator. In 1892 a white mob attacked a black owned grocery store because it was stealing their business. The owners of the store tried to defend their business by shooting the mob, unfortunately they were sent to jail. They never had the chance to defend themselves in trial, as they were murdered by a group of lynchers shortly after the incident.

As it turned out one of the men who were brutally murdered was a friend of Ida. Upon hearing the news she started writing strong articles on lynching and went into detail on the innocent people who were murdered. This put her in danger, knowing this she traveled the South for two months investigating other lynching occurrences. She continued publishing her writing in a pamphlet and wrote many articles for the newsletter all exposing the vicious lynching that threatened the black community.

The articles lead to threats and intimidation from the angry lynching mobs. This didn’t stop her. “I firmly believed all along that the law was on our side and would, when we appealed to it, give us justice. I feel shorn of that belief and utterly discouraged, and just now, if it were possible, would gather my race in my arms and fly away with them. O God, is there no redress, no peace, no justice in this land for us”?

Ultimately the writers of the threats kept their word. The locals tore up the news press where she published her work. The press was burned to the ground, fortunately Ida has been traveling to New York during the destruction of the press. Warned that she would be killed if she came back to Memphis she moved to Chicago, Illinois.

There in 1893 Wells joined the boycott of the World's Columbian Expansion. It was then when she met Ferdinand Barnett, a African American lawyer. Ida went on to write a thoroughgoing report about lynching for the New York Age. In 1895, Ida became Ida Barnett Wells. She married Ferdinand the lawyer that shared many belif as Ida did. Together they had four children Alfreda Barnett, Herman Kohlsaat Barnett, and Ida B. Barnett.

Motherhood and activism always counter acted in ida’s life. While she always took big risks by continuing to fight against racism, she always did her best to take care of her siblings when they all lost their parents. Then when time came for her to have kids of her own she did the same as she did before. Always balancing one and the other. In times like her she really had no other option. “The people must know before they act, and there is no educator to compare me with the press” - Ida B. Wells. A woman born into slavery, then puts her life on the line for what she believes in. Her words, journalism and activism is the legacy she left; Ida B. Wells an African American woman born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on July 16, 1862. Eldest of James and Lizzie Wells, Ida was born during the Civil War. After the war her parents went on to be politically active in the Reconstruction era. Her parents wanted her to be educated and she later enrolled in Rust College but was later expelled due to arguing with the president.

In 1878 Ida went to visit her grandmother during which the yellow fever hit her hometown and took her mother, father, and younger brother. She was left to care for the rest of her family on her own. To keep the family together she took a job as a teacher to provide for them. After a while she moved her family to Memphis, Tennessee and continued to work as an educator. In 1892 a white mob attacked a black owned grocery store because it was stealing their business. The owners of the store tried to defend their business by shooting the mob, unfortunately they were sent to jail. They never had the chance to defend themselves in trial, as they were murdered by a group of lynchers shortly after the incident.

As it turned out one of the men who were brutally murdered was a friend of Ida. Upon hearing the news she started writing strong articles on lynching and went into detail on the innocent people who were murdered. This put her in danger, knowing this she traveled the South for two months investigating other lynching occurrences. She continued publishing her writing in a pamphlet and wrote many articles for the newsletter all exposing the vicious lynching that threatened the black community.

The articles lead to threats and intimidation from the angry lynching mobs. This didn’t stop her. “I firmly believed all along that the law was on our side and would, when we appealed to it, give us justice. I feel shorn of that belief and utterly discouraged, and just now, if it were possible, would gather my race in my arms and fly away with them. O God, is there no redress, no peace, no justice in this land for us”?

Ultimately the writers of the threats kept their word. The locals tore up the news press where she published her work. The press was burned to the ground, fortunately Ida has been traveling to New York during the destruction of the press. Warned that she would be killed if she came back to Memphis she moved to Chicago, Illinois.

There in 1893 Wells joined the boycott of the World's Columbian Expansion. It was then when she met Ferdinand Barnett, a African American lawyer. Ida went on to write a thoroughgoing report about lynching for the New York Age. In 1895, Ida became Ida Barnett Wells. She married Ferdinand the lawyer that shared many belif as Ida did. Together they had four children Alfreda Barnett, Herman Kohlsaat Barnett, and Ida B. Barnett.

Motherhood and activism always counter acted in ida’s life. While she always took big risks by continuing to fight against racism, she always did her best to take care of her siblings when they all lost their parents. Then when time came for her to have kids of her own she did the same as she did before. Always balancing one and the other. In times like her she really had no other option. Ida B. Wells was truly a strong woman who did all she could to help her family and those innocent who so many were predigest towards.

On March 25, 1931 Wells-Barnett died of kidney cancer. At the age 68 in Chicago, Illinois after a life of fighting for what's right. Leaving behind her work that still stands relevant to this day. Having suffered much in life never slowed her down. Today learning about had taught me many things of the hardships no only those of color went through but women of all race in that matter. Ida B, Wells a woman who fought for what she believed in. was truly a strong woman who did all she could to help her family and those innocent who so many were predigest towards.

On March 25, 1931 Wells-Barnett died of kidney cancer. At the age 68 in Chicago, Illinois after a life of fighting for what's right. Leaving behind her work that still stands relevant to this day. Having suffered much in life never slowed her down. Today learning about had taught me many things of the hardships no only those of color went through but women of all race in that matter. Ida B, Wells a woman who fought for what she believed in.