The Wonderful Work of Ida B. Wells
Shining the light of truth
On May 4, 1884, Wells-Barnett undertook her commute to Shelby County on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. She purchased a first-class ticket to sit in the ladies car, where she was soon told by the conductor to relocate to the smoking car. After being forcefully dragged out of the train, Wells-Barnett noted that the white passengers “…stood on the seats so that they could get a good view and continued applauding the conductor for his brave stand” (I.Wells 17). Wells-Barnett retaliated by suing the Ohio railway company, which resulted in successfully receiving compensation for the harassment. The Tennessee state supreme court reversed the decision, but the case itself reflected Wells-Barnett’s early dedication for equity under the law.
Ida B. Wells is one of those names that may be lesser known to non-historians…but shouldn’t be.
In 1892 she witnessed the brutal lynching of three black men in Memphis (video on that here). One of those men was Thomas Moss - a close friend of Mrs. Wells at the time.
She was actually godmother to his children.
His murder, later know as the Peoples Grocery Lynching, motivated Ida B. Wells to take up the effort to publicize the injustice of this and many other lynchings of the time.
Ida B. Wells was best known as a journalist, reaseacher, and for her work towards:
Anti-lynching crusade: She meticulously documented lynchings in the United States, exposing their brutality and challenging the justifications used to defend them.
Advocacy for civil rights: She fought tirelessly for racial justice and equality.
Championing women's suffrage: She was also a strong advocate for women's right to vote, particularly for Black women.
Journalistic work: Through her writings, she shed light on racial injustices and inspired social change.
She was also a co-founder of the NAACP, and a founder of many other organizations geared toward the upliftment of black people.
Remember…this was in the 1890s and early 1900s.
📍 You can visit the sites of the Peoples Grocery lynching here (google maps)
You know what else? We talked to a decendant…
Yes, Jenn was able to have a short chat with the great great grandson of Thomas Moss. Robert Browning lives in California and suffered some loss in the recent fires…but he was willing to talk with us briefly about what he has learned and some of his family history.
Robert was so gracious in giving us some time and in being willing to talk a bit about his family.
You never know how you may connect with the past…just getting out there is the first step!