Ida B. Wells
Born 1862 · Age 163
American investigative journalist, sociologist, teacher, anti-lynching crusader, women's suffrage activist and early civil-rights leader. Co-founder of multiple Black women's organizations and an early founder/organizer in what became the NAACP.
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Life & Career Timeline
Birth in Holly Springs, Mississippi
Ida Bell Wells born into slavery on the Boling farm near Holly Springs, Mississippi.
Emancipation of Wells family
Ida and her parents were emancipated after Union troops captured Holly Springs; family entered Reconstruction-era life.
Begs teaching job to keep siblings together
Passed teaching exam and took a job teaching at a rural Black elementary school to support and keep her siblings together.
Parents die in yellow fever epidemic
In the 1878 yellow fever epidemic Wells lost both parents and an infant brother; she became caretaker for younger siblings.
Attended Rust College (early education)
Attended Rust College (formerly Shaw University) in Holly Springs before leaving after passing teaching examination.
Moves to Memphis, Tennessee
Moved to Memphis to live with an aunt and began work in Shelby County school system; continued summer studies at Fisk and LeMoyne.
Refused to leave ladies' car on Chesapeake & Ohio train (first incident)
A conductor ordered Wells to move from the first-class ladies' car to the 'colored' car; she resisted and was forcibly removed.
Begins journalism: Evening Star and 'Iola' pen name
Wrote for The Living Way under the pen name 'Iola' and accepted an editorial position at the Evening Star, writing editorials on race and education.
Second train incident; legal action begins
On May 4 another train incident occurred; Wells sued the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway over being forcibly removed from the ladies' car.
Wins $500 judgment against railroad (circuit court)
Local circuit court awarded Wells $500 for unlawful removal from the ladies' car (later reversed by state supreme court).
Tennessee Supreme Court reverses railroad verdict
Tennessee Supreme Court reversed the $500 judgment and ordered Wells to pay court costs; a painful legal setback.
Becomes co-owner/editor of The Free Speech and Headlight
Joined Free Speech and Headlight as partner and editor; a step toward full-time journalism and ownership of a Black newspaper in Memphis.
Fired from teaching for criticizing Black schools
After publishing criticism of Memphis public school conditions, Wells's teaching contract was not renewed; she turned to journalism full time.
Moves to New York and writes for The New York Age
After leaving Memphis, Wells accepted work with T. Thomas Fortune's New York Age and resided in Harlem while continuing national anti-lynching work.
Lynchings of Tom Moss, Calvin McDowell and Will Stewart
Three Black owners/employees of the People's Grocery near Memphis were abducted from jail and lynched; this spurred Wells's anti-lynching investigations.
Editorial condemning lynching published in Free Speech
Wells published editorials disputing the common 'rape' pretext for lynchings and urging Black residents to leave Memphis; provoked violent response.
White mob destroys Free Speech office; Wells forced to flee Memphis
A white mob ransacked and burned the Free Speech offices in response to Wells's anti-lynching editorials; she was out of town and did not return to Memphis.
Publishes pamphlet 'Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases'
Wells published her first major anti-lynching pamphlet documenting patterns of lynching and debunking the 'rape' pretext.
Arrives / begins organizing in Chicago
After leaving the South and a period in New York, Wells established a presence in Chicago, engaging in local organizing and lecturing.
Publishes 'The Reason Why the Colored American Is Not in the World’s Columbian Exposition'
Co-authored and distributed a pamphlet at the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition documenting exclusion of Black achievement.
First speaking tour in Britain (1893)
Began transatlantic lecturing to raise awareness of lynching and gain international support.
Paid correspondent for the Daily Inter-Ocean
Became the first African-American woman to be a paid correspondent for a mainstream white newspaper (Daily Inter-Ocean) while traveling in England.
Second speaking tour in Britain (1894)
Returned to the U.K., spoke widely (including at Birmingham on May 17 and Bradford on June 25), galvanized British anti-lynching support.
British Anti-Lynching Committee established
At the conclusion of her 1894 tour the British Anti-Lynching Committee was formed with prominent UK MPs, clergy and editors as members.
Lecture: Birmingham, England
Spoke at Young Men's Christian Assembly and Central Hall in Birmingham during second British tour.
Lecture: Bradford, England
Gave a major address in Bradford described as 'sensational' in its effect on British audiences.
Publishes 'A Red Record'
Published a 100-page tabulated sociological investigation of lynchings 1892–1894 documenting causes and statistics.
Becomes editor/partial owner of The Chicago Conservator
After marriage, Wells wrote for, acquired interest in, and later purchased her husband's shares in The Conservator, assuming editorial control.
Married Ferdinand L. Barnett in Chicago
Married Chicago attorney/editor Ferdinand L. Barnett; began a life partnership and collaboration in journalism and civil-rights work.
Helped found National Association of Colored Women (NACW)
Participated in the 1896 meeting that founded the NACW—a federation of Black women's clubs for social uplift.
Secretary, National Afro-American Council (service c.1898–1902)
Served as secretary of the National Afro-American Council, a national civil-rights organization.
Founding of the Negro Fellowship League (Chicago)
Founded the Negro Fellowship League in Chicago as a social-service center offering housing, employment help, education and legal counseling.
Attends National Negro Conference; NAACP founding connections
Presented 'Lynching, Our National Crime' at the 1909 National Negro Conference—the meeting that selected the NAACP's Founding Forty; her name was initially excluded from the official list.
Advocacy after Springfield race riot (contextual activism)
Following the 1908 Springfield, IL race riots, Wells intensified organizing—part of context leading to NAACP formation; she worked on urban reform in Chicago.
Served as Chicago municipal-court probation officer (1913–1916)
Appointed and served as a probation officer in Chicago's municipal court for several years.
Founded the Alpha Suffrage Club (Chicago)
Founded what may have been the first Black women's suffrage club to organize for Black women's voting rights and political representation.
Refuses segregated place in 1913 Woman Suffrage March
At the 1913 Women's Procession in Washington, DC, Wells refused to march at the back as requested and later joined the march with white Chicago women.
President of Chicago bureau, National Equal Rights League
Served as president of the Chicago bureau of the National Equal Rights League, pressing for end to discrimination in government jobs.
Joined committee to present segregation concerns to President Wilson
Participated with William Monroe Trotter and others in presenting complaints about federal segregation policies to President Woodrow Wilson.
Wrote letter to President Wilson re: discrimination of Black soldiers (Camp Funston)
As president of the Negro Fellowship League, she protested Gen. Ballou's bulletin excluding Black soldiers from public places, urging revocation.
Sought delegate seat to Republican National Convention
Ran to be a delegate at the Republican National Convention (unsuccessful); continued political activism.
Began autobiography 'Crusade for Justice' (unfinished)
Wells began writing her autobiography; it remained unfinished at her death and was posthumously edited and published by her daughter in 1970.
Ran for Illinois State Senate
Ran for Illinois State Senate as an independent (unsuccessful), continuing political engagement late in life.
Death in Chicago (kidney disease)
Ida B. Wells-Barnett died of kidney disease in Chicago and was buried at Oak Woods Cemetery.
Ida B. Wells Homes named in Chicago
A Chicago housing project was named for Wells—the first housing project named after a woman of color (project opened/named following advocacy by NACW and others).
Autobiography 'Crusade for Justice' published posthumously
Wells's unfinished autobiography was edited by her daughter Alfreda Duster and published as Crusade for Justice.
Ida B. Wells House designated National Historic Landmark
The Chicago home associated with Wells was designated a National Historic Landmark.
USPS commemorative stamp issued
United States Postal Service issued a stamp honoring Ida B. Wells.
Named among 100 Greatest African Americans (list)
Included in a list recognizing 100 of the most influential African Americans.
Bolling–Gatewood House becomes Ida B. Wells–Barnett Museum
The former Boling house property where Wells's family lived was designated and opened as the Ida B. Wells–Barnett Museum.
Posthumous Pulitzer Prize Special Citation
Awarded a special Pulitzer Prize citation for courageous reporting on lynching and violence against African Americans.
Multiple contemporary biographies and institutional honors updated
National Women’s History Museum and other institutions publish revised biographies and educational resources highlighting Wells's legacy (ongoing recognition).
Key Achievement Ages
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