Ida B Wells
By Grace Thompson
Ida B Wells Beginning
Ida B Wells was born a slave but after six months was freed in the Emancipation Proclamation. She and her family faced racial prejudice and were restricted by discriminatory rules and practices.
Event Information
Ida's Birth and Death
Death:
March 25, 1931
In Chicago, Illinois
When?
Wednesday, Jul 16, 1862, 09:00 PM
Where?
Holly Springs, Mississippi, United States
Her Life
Ida's father was on the first board of trustees at Rust College and it was here that Ida received her early education. She dropped out at age 16 when her parents and one of her siblings died of Yellow Fever and she had to take care of her other siblings and getting a job as a teacher. In 1882 she moved her sisters to Memphis, Tennessee and her brothers became carpenters apprentices. Then she continued her education at Fisk University in Nashville. Later when Ida took a train ride she had bought a first-class ticket but was forced to move to a car for African-Americans, outraged sued the railroad. After that she wrote about race and politics and later established civil rights organizations.