Ida B. Wells Was More Than Just a Writer
Some of you may know her as a writer, but she was far more than that. Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a very well-known writer, activist, and researcher in American history. Wells was not only faced with the hardships of being a woman but also being Black in America during a very difficult time. She took her job as a writer to shed light on the topics that matter to her most due to her experiences.
In 1862, Wells was born into slavery in Mississippi during the time of the Civil War. Although she was born a slave, her parents wanted her to understand the importance of education. In her later years, the yellow fever epidemic took her parents and her infant brother leaving her to raise her other siblings. She then became a teacher and raised her siblings in Memphis, Tennessee.
Living in the South, Wells dealt with a lot of racism and sexism throughout her life. Unfortunately, she lost a friend to a lynching in the South and decided to kick her activism into high gear. After living in the South for years and witnessing many Black people deal with lynching, she began to investigate. After looking into multiple cases of lynching in the area, published her findings in a pamphlet and had it set out in multiple local newspapers. Locals did not appreciate this deep dive that Wells did and eventually drove her to Chicago after many threats and harassment.
Wells later married famous African American, lawyer Ferdinand Barnett and together they continued their work with civil rights. She continued to travel and focus on lynching issues happening in America. She also highlighted women’s rights along with civil rights. Her name has been recognized throughout history time and time again even after her death in 1931.
SOURCE
