Ida B. Wells was an iconic civil rights activist who dedicated her life to the fight for racial justice and women's rights. She was born July 16, 1862 in Holly Springs, Mississippi and attended Rust College and Fisk University, where she became a teacher after graduating. In 1889, she became one of the founding members of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and was an active participant in the suffrage movement.

Wells was highly influential in the struggle for women's suffrage. She wrote and lectured on the importance of women's votes and the link between race and gender. She argued that Black women, more so than white women, had a vested interest in attaining voting rights. She also stressed the importance of Black women's political participation and economic independence.

Issues of gender, race, and economic inequality are still at the forefront of the civil rights movement and her words and actions continue to inspire activists today. Her work in the suffrage movement  demonstrates the importance of voting rights and political participation for all citizens, regardless of gender or race. Wells' stood for economic equality and women’s empowerment for all races, a vision still being realized and fought for by modern day activists. Her life was an example of courage and determination, and through her work, we are reminded of the power of activism to bring about change.

Additional Resources:

• Read more about Wells through her great-granddaughter Michelle Duster, author of Ida in Her Own Words: The Timeless Writings of Ida B. Wells from 1893.
• Find more information about Wells and other historical leaders in the Black Women's Suffrage Movement, provided by the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).