African American History: Ida B. Wells

Ella Josephine Baker was known to be an unsung hero during the trials and tribulations of the Civil Rights Movement. She was one of the women who contributed in achieving civil and human rights for minority people. She cooperated with many organizations to establish her goal, such as motivating the discriminated into standing up for themselves. Ella Baker’s childhood, political activism, and the influences of her actions all contributed in ending discrimination against African Americans and other minority groups during the Civil Rights Movement.

Many critics say her work did not have any effects, but they are wrong. Ida B Wells alone started the anti-lynching campaign. She encouraged the community to ban together against the hysteria of the time, and she dedicated so much of her life to her beliefs. She spent several years of her life writing, fighting, and speaking about lynchings. She faced death threats everywhere she went.

Many Americans were concerned by the change that needed to happen for the people. The people were starting to stand up for what they believed in. With population increasing, things started to get out of control. Many political people held to much power over the people. People living in poverty were suffering more than they have been.

In Ida B. Wells’ works Southern Horrors: Lynch Law in All Its Phases and A Red Record, Ida B. Wells argues against the lynching of African Americans of the time. Wells’ uses many strategies and techniques to make her arguments as convincing as possible throughout her works. She also uses clear language and well-structured sentences to make it clear what she is arguing. Ida B. Wells makes sure to use statistics and offers rebuttals to the opposing side’s point of view to strengthen her argument. Wells presents these arguments by isolating and clearly stating the problem, giving descriptive and specific examples, using statistics, and offering rebuttals.

Janet Fay Collins was the Metropolitan Opera's first African-American Prima Ballerina who broke the color barrier, paving the way for African-American dancers to come after her. Janet was born on March 2nd, 1917 in New Orleans, Louisiana. At the age of four years old she moved with her family to Los Angeles, California. There, she was enrolled into a Catholic Community Center for dance training. Her family did not have money to pay for Janet’s training.

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper, born on September 24, 1825, was a leading African American poet, author, teacher and political activist. Although she was born to “free” parents in Baltimore, Maryland, she still experienced her share of hardships. She lost her mother at the tender age of three, was raised by her aunt and uncle, and fully employed by thirteen. Though all odds seemed against her, she triumphed over her obstacles, publishing her first book of poetry at the of age twenty and her first novel at the age of sixty-seven. Outside of writing books, she was a civil rights leader and a public speaker in the Anti-Slavery Society.

Dorothy height was born in Richmond Virginia on March 24, 1912. Height was a civil rights activist along with a women’s right activist. Over the span of her career height received more than 50 awards from varies local, state, and national organizations. Some her major awards that she received were; Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989, Spingarn Medal in 1993, Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, Jefferson Awards for Public Service in 2001, Heinz Awards in 2001, and Congressional Gold Medal in 2004. While height was fighting for social reforms for both genders she was mainly focused on reforms for African American women.

Ida B. Wells was a daughter born into slavery, in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on July 16, 1862. She grew up to become an active journalist and led an anti-lynching crusade around the 1890s. She was an important woman towards the society we have today. Living as African Americans in Mississippi, life was hard for the Wells family as they had to face discrimination and prejudice. Her father helped start Shaw University; it was from here that Ida got her early education.

In history, every social movement had its prominent leader. The African American civil rights movement had Martin Luther King Jr., and the women 's suffrage movement had Susan B. Anthony. As for the LGBTQIA community, the obvious leader would be the man who spearheaded the gay rights movement other than the Stonewall Riot. Milk reached the greatest milestone for the movement by becoming the first openly gay man to hold public office. Elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977, Dan White assassinated Milk and Mayor George Moscone not even a year after Milk won the election.

Maya Angelou she was born on April 4, 1928, up to age sixteen .The champion of the civil rights in 1992, she was honored by being asked to read and original poem. They live with her grandmother and unle in the rear of the store. They eat cold fried chicken for lunch and potato salad. Each year i watched the field across from the store turn caterpillar green then gradually frosty white.

When you look at me what do you see? To society, I’m a black female who fits the stereotypical “wanna-be” black female wanting to have white hair textures. They watch carefully as I walk past them; afraid of my “black girl capabilities” solely based off of stereotypes that have been carelessly passed down from generation to generation. They think, “She’s probably unhappy with her dark complexion”. They wonder, “Why does she look so angry, it’s probably just another angry black woman.”

Harriet Tubman was a nineteenth century abolitionist. She wasn’t like most northern abolitionists, though because she was an African American (Not that that’s bad or anything). She had rough beginnings, as she was born a slave in the southern states. She escaped, and a year after she did, she started helping other slaves get to freedom. Because of her efforts, 200 or so slaves escaped in the underground railroad.

Harriet Tubman. A well known famous “conductor” in the Underground railroad, to free many slaves. She was born into slavery and had always dreamed about freedom and what it would feel like. Harriet risked her life to escape then came back multiple times for both family members and other slaves who she barely knew. She was willing to travel 90 miles each time back and forth to save people she barely knew.