Join us on February 4th as we honor Ida B. Wells during our Sunday Celebration announcements!
Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) was an influential African American investigative journalist, suffragist, and civil rights activist. Born into slavery on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Wells became an orphan at the age of 16, following the death of her parents due to a yellow fever epidemic. Determined to support her siblings, she took on the role of a teacher and eventually moved to Memphis, Tennessee.
Wells is best known for her fearless and groundbreaking investigative journalism that exposed the brutal realities of lynching in the late 19th century. Her writing, particularly in newspapers like the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight, brought attention to the atrocities committed against African Americans and challenged the prevailing narrative that often justified these acts.
As a suffragist, Ida B. Wells advocated for women's rights and played a significant role in the women's suffrage movement. She was a co-founder of the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) in 1896, an organization dedicated to addressing issues affecting African American women.
Throughout her life, Wells fought against racial injustice, segregation, and discrimination. She was an early advocate for civil rights and co-founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909. Ida B. Wells continued her activism until her death on March 25, 1931, leaving behind a lasting legacy as a trailblazer in the fight for racial and gender equality. Her courage and commitment to justice have inspired generations of activists and continue to be celebrated as an integral part of American history.
“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”
