Famous Women in History: Ida B. Wells

A fascinating look into the life and times of civil rights activist and journalist, Ida B. Wells. Born to slave parents in 1862, Ida became a teacher while still in her teens, later attending classes at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1883, she boarded a train in Memphis. The conductor informed her she would need to move to the blacks-only car, despite the Civil Rights Act of 1875 outlawing segregation such as this. After refusing, she was physically removed by three men. This marked Ida B. Well's transition from teacher to civil rights activist. Throughout her amazing adult life, she traveled throughout the country, and abroad, advocating for African American rights, publishing stories about the cause, and shedding light the horrors of lynching. While she married and had four children, she continued as one of the nation's leading activists, fighting for what she believed in until her death in 1931. Contextual side stories offer further perspective on key details, locations, and people referenced in Wells's story. Archival photographs, drawings, and paintings are chronologically arranged, adding visual context to her fascinating life and career.