Ida B. Wells was a very outspoken African-American woman who’s feelings and protests in regards to lynching of blacks in this country has made her name a notable one in American Black history.
Ms. Wells was often regarded as a radical for her thoughts, speech and actions to challenge the treatment of African-American’s in this country. In 1884 she sued the Cleveland and Ohio Railroad for making her leave her first-class accommodations. While she was forcefully removed, its been reported that the other passengers, whom were all white, applauded. In her lawsuit, she successfully won her case in the local circuit courts, but later that ruling was appealed in Supreme Court of Tennessee by the railroad company. The initial ruling was then reversed.
Wells (1862-1931), born after the Civil War to parents who were slaves, Ms. Wells became famous because of protesting of the alarming situations in the south that involved lynchings. Statistics at the time showed that only 1/3 of those lynched were even accused of rape and most were lynched economic, educational or political assertiveness. In 1895 Wells married the editor of one of Chicago´s early Black newspapers, Attorney F. L. Barnett.
Aside from being outspoken in her protests of the horrific murders by lynching, Ida B. Wells was also a journalist and author, women’s rights advocate a teacher and mother. She was also one of the founding members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
In the early 1930’s, Ms. Wells decided to run for the Illinois State legislature. With such a task, she became one of the first Black women to run for public office in the United States. The next year, Ms. Ida B. Wells passed away leaving behind her many accomplishments for the time as a black person in this country and as a woman.
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