Ida B. Wells

Date of Birth: July 16, 1862

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: March 25, 1931

Biography

Ida B. Wells was a pioneering African American journalist, activist, and researcher in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Born into slavery during the Civil War, Wells became a fierce advocate for civil rights and social justice, particularly focusing on the rampant issue of lynching in the United States. She co-owned and wrote for the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight newspaper, where her investigative journalism brought national attention to the atrocities committed against African Americans. Wells was also a founding member of several important organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs. Her courageous efforts laid the groundwork for future civil rights movements.

5 Interesting Facts about Ida B. Wells

1. Ida B. Wells was born into slavery in Holly Springs, Mississippi, just months before the Emancipation Proclamation.

2. She was one of the first African American women to run for public office in the United States, running for the Illinois State Senate in 1930.

3. Wells was a skilled orator and traveled internationally to speak about the lynching crisis in America, including in England and Scotland.

4. She was a co-founder of the Alpha Suffrage Club in Chicago, the first black women’s suffrage organization in the United States.

5. Despite facing numerous threats, including the destruction of her newspaper office, Wells remained undeterred and continued her advocacy work throughout her life.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Ida B. Wells

1. “The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.”

2. “One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.”

3. “The people must know before they can act, and there is no educator to compare with the press.”

4. “I’d rather go down in history as one lone Negro who dared to tell the government that it had done a dastardly thing than to save my skin by taking back what I said.”

5. “The mob spirit has grown with the increasing intelligence of the Afro-American.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Ida B. Wells did not achieve significant financial wealth from her advocacy work. Her highest net worth is not documented, as her life was dedicated to social justice rather than financial gain.

Children

Ida B. Wells had four children with her husband, Ferdinand L. Barnett: 1. Charles Aked Barnett 2. Herman Kohlsaat Barnett 3. Ida B. Wells Jr. 4. Alfreda M. Barnett Duster