Ida B. Wells is one of the historical figures to whom I’m most deeply indebted. Born into slavery in Holly Springs, Mississippi, in 1862 during the Civil War, she was thrust into adulthood far too early. After losing both her parents and a younger sibling to a yellow fever epidemic, teenage Ida became the primary caregiver for her five remaining siblings. Despite the weight of grief and responsibility, she pressed forward—teaching during the school year, studying at Fisk University in the summers, and writing for the Memphis Evening Star to help support her family.
In 1884, while traveling by train, Ida experienced the harsh reality of segregation. Though she had a first-class ticket, she was forcibly removed from her seat when she refused to sit in the “smoking car” designated for Black passengers. She sued the Chesapeake, Ohio, and Southwestern Railroad—and won. Although the verdict was overturned in federal court, the injustice became a catalyst for her lifelong crusade against racial discrimination.
Ida B. Wells fearlessly exposed the horrific truth about lynching through her research and writing. As co-owner and editor of the Memphis Free Speech, she used her platform to challenge Jim Crow laws and amplify the voices of the oppressed. She faced violent threats, the destruction of her newspaper office, and exile from her city—but she never wavered.
Through publications like Southern Horrors and A Red Record, she documented lynchings with a journalist’s precision and a reformer’s passion, forcing the nation to confront its brutality. Wells helped found the NAACP, fought for women’s suffrage, and championed voting rights and education. She did all of this while raising six children and speaking on stages across the U.S. and abroad.
Her voice remains urgent today:
“One had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or a rat in a trap.”
Ida B. Wells redefined what it means to lead—with truth, with tenacity, and without apology. She reminds us that leadership is not about comfort or recognition; it’s about having the courage to speak when silence is easier.
YOUR TURN: What legacy are you building with your voice?
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