Ida B. Wells
Ida B. Wells: Courageous Success Introduction
The Harlem Renaissance was a time period that began after World War I and lasted until the middle of the 1930’s depression, this era refers to a time of written and artistic creativity among African Americans. During this movement creativity was brought, but unfortunately so was discrimination and crimes that often occurred. A woman named Ida B. Wells was commonly referred to as the fearless crusader, suffragist, women’s right advocate, journalist and speaker who was present during these years and had made a significantly big impact on the outcome of this era.
The Beginning
Ida B. Wells was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862 and had seven siblings. When Ida was only fourteen the Yellow Fever epidemic had spread and killed both her parents and her youngest sibling (Baker). Wells had moved to Memphis to live with her Aunt where she received an education and obtained a job as a teacher to support her family.
Ida B. Wells had soon encountered a horrible incident of injustice on May 4th 1884 when she was on the train and then was asked by the conductor to give up her seat to a white man and was ordered into the smoking car (Baker). Wells had refused and then was forcefully removed by three men out of her seat (McBride).
When Wells had returned to Memphis she had immediately hired an attorney to sue the railroad. Wells had won her case and this was the first of many struggles she had experienced. From that incident she had begun to work fearlessly to overturn injustices (Baker). Wells had then written an article of her experience and this had sparked her career as a journalist (“Memorial Foundation”).
Involvement in the Issues
By 1886 Wells new found career as a journalist, had her articles appearing across the nation and she began travelling (McBride). As her voice grew she began attacking bigger issues of poverty and lack of educational opportunities for African Americans. By 1889 Wells became one of the
The Harlem Renaissance was a time period that began after World War I and lasted until the middle of the 1930’s depression, this era refers to a time of written and artistic creativity among African Americans. During this movement creativity was brought, but unfortunately so was discrimination and crimes that often occurred. A woman named Ida B. Wells was commonly referred to as the fearless crusader, suffragist, women’s right advocate, journalist and speaker who was present during these years and had made a significantly big impact on the outcome of this era.
The Beginning
Ida B. Wells was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862 and had seven siblings. When Ida was only fourteen the Yellow Fever epidemic had spread and killed both her parents and her youngest sibling (Baker). Wells had moved to Memphis to live with her Aunt where she received an education and obtained a job as a teacher to support her family.
Ida B. Wells had soon encountered a horrible incident of injustice on May 4th 1884 when she was on the train and then was asked by the conductor to give up her seat to a white man and was ordered into the smoking car (Baker). Wells had refused and then was forcefully removed by three men out of her seat (McBride).
When Wells had returned to Memphis she had immediately hired an attorney to sue the railroad. Wells had won her case and this was the first of many struggles she had experienced. From that incident she had begun to work fearlessly to overturn injustices (Baker). Wells had then written an article of her experience and this had sparked her career as a journalist (“Memorial Foundation”).
Involvement in the Issues
By 1886 Wells new found career as a journalist, had her articles appearing across the nation and she began travelling (McBride). As her voice grew she began attacking bigger issues of poverty and lack of educational opportunities for African Americans. By 1889 Wells became one of the
Cited: Baker, Lee D."Ids B. Wells- Barnett and Her Passion for Justice".Oxford University. 1996. Web. 22nd November 2012 <http://people.duke.edu/~ldbaker/classes/AAIH/caaih/ibwells/ibwbkgrd.html>. Dalal, Piyali. "Ida B. Wells".University of Minnesota. 27th April 2001.Web. 23rd November 2012 <http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/wellsIda.php>. Foundation, Memorial. "Her Biography". Ida B. Wells Memorial Foundation. 24th October 2008.Web. 23rd November 2012 <http://www.idabwells.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=64>. McBride, Jennifer. "Ida B. Wells: Crusade for Justice". Women 's Intellectual Contributions to the Study of Mind and Society. n.d.Web. 21st November 2012 <http://www2.webster.edu/~woolflm/idabwells.html>.