How Did Ida B. Wells Contribute To The Civil Rights Movement?

Historically, Black women have been fighting for civil rights through their blood, sweat, and tears. They are the structural foundation upon which the United States is built. Women like Sojourner Truth who were part of the Abolitionist Movement exhibited self- sacrifice and resilience during a time when they were slandered through a racist, sexist, and oppressive system. Take for example, slave owners raped many women and had control over Black women’s reproductive

During the Progressive era women had to endure a lot of suffering due to poor living conditions, illness, earning wages no matter what age or race they were. Women activists decided it was time to start speaking out and protesting to receive more equality in society. Different groups of activists, made up of women, fought for women’s rights socially, economically, and politically. Some activists were better known for women’s sexuality. Jane Addams was one of the first women activists who fought for equal wages for women. From Jane Addams speech in 1908, “Possibly the first step towards restoration is publicity as to industrial affairs, for we are all able to see only those things to which we bring the informing mind." Jane Addams and Florence Kelly are two women who were for African American rights especially for voting.

Although some people might argue that Shirley Chisholm does not demonstrate leadership qualities, a closer examination proves that the former congresswoman was a strong leader because of her independence, perseverance,and willingness to take risks.

No one will ever forget the Baltimore riots. Freddie Gray, the young man killed by Baltimore police, became the symbol for the brutality facing young Black men. As a young Black man, it was hard for me to stay off of social media during these incidents. The riots raged on and many non-Blacks sought to remind our population of what we’re not allowed to do. Many social media posts focused on the March on Washington, Selma, and peaceful sit-ins, and captioned their posts with the statement: “Why can’t Blacks be peaceful like the Civil Rights Movement.”

The civil rights movement of 1954-1968 has made a huge impact on the history of African-American equality. All the great leaders of the movement have gone down in history for their courageous work and outstanding commitment to the civil rights movement. One of the most famous of the activists was Martin Luther King Junior (1929-1968) . King is still remembered today for his legendary speech entitled “I had a dream”. Many countries concurred with Luther King and agreed with his ideas because he made a difference for African-Americans and took a stand against racism. Yet the question today, over forty years later is: Was the African-American civil rights movement an overall success? Or is it the same now as it was back in 50’s and 60’s?

Despite liberation after the Civil War, African Americans still experienced extreme inequality and injustice. Many of them were still being persecuted, for one hundred African Americans were lynched each year during the 1880s and the 1890s. A female African American writer in Memphis, Tennessee wrote about these terrors. Her name was Ida B. Wells. She published pamphlets that illustrated the injustices being inflicted upon the African Americans. On Lynchings includes pamphlets such as Southern Horrors, Red Record, and Mob Rule in New Orleans. The pamphlets included within the book provide sources and facts about the executions. The book itself is about a black women’s cry for help through her writing and how she overcame

Sojourner Truth a famous abolitionist and women’s right activists feared rights of women would be left out. Many African Americans felt that the women’s suffrage movement was concerned with the rights of only white women (Wood,59) and were sometimes discriminated against within the movement.. This is fictionally displayed in Iron Jawed Angels when a black suffragist expresses discontent with their parade being segregated by race. I feel that this is hypocritical as they are fighting for equal rights yet treating people of color as separate. Despite their concerns countless African American women still joined in on the cause and contributed to its

“I have encountered riotous mobs and have been hung in effigy, but my motto is: Men's rights are nothing more. Women's rights are nothing less.” Susan B. Anthony

During the 1800’s, those who saw social prejudice or corruption started many reform movements to correct the difficulties in America. The Second Great Awakening really helped shape the United States into a religious nation and paved the way through the reform movements, while stressing individual choice that caused an uprising in denominations leading to followers by the masses. Antislavery abolitionism became a movement mostly because of influence from the religious revival that was taking place, and demonstrating to all of those religious that slavery is a sin.

How much of history would change if African Americans never went through adversity? Between 1877 (End of Reconstruction) and the 1950’s (Beginning of the Civil Rights Movement) African Americans went through immense hardships. They had to fight numerous times in order to gain their rights and even be counted as “human”. During the Harlem Renaissance many African Americans arose and found ways to create and show what they were going through. A famous African American author and civil rights leader by the name of James Weldon Johnson “was deeply committed to exposing the injustice and brutality imposed on African Americans throughout the United States, especially in the Jim Crow South”

Within the 1880's there was a woman named Leonora M. Barry. She was no average women. As times were inhuman and cruel for women workers she experienced how hard it was to work as women. But, she just did not continue to face the cruel treatment. Joining the Knights of Labor, she wrote Organizing Women Workers to open societies and the Order's minds about the oppressed women within America. Barry was a voice for women and within Organizing Women Workers she publicized what women went through. Her written piece showed how much she wanted justice for all working women who had pitiful pays, appalling work conditions, and insufficient education to be lifted from the oppression. With a strong intent, she wrote this document, hoping for a change for

The year is 1965 in the torn and crushed capital of Montgomery, Alabama. At the time, every square inch in all southern cities in the United States was filled with African American segregation, discrimination, and hatred. But then, there was this one bold, powerful, and courageously beautiful African American woman who rose to the cause. Amelia Boynton, borned on August 8, 1911, in Savannah, Georgia, helped to save African Americans by protesting for voting rights. Amelia Boynton was an effective Civil Rights Movement leader because she helped organize the march from Selma to Montgomery.

Did you know that in 1882 to 1968, there were almost 4,000 people lynched that were black and about 1,000 lynched that were white? In the twentieth century a muckraker, by the name of Ida B. Wells, reported on similar Lynch cases. Ida B. Wells was an African-American journalist in the twentieth century, also called a muckraker, who wrote articles about lynching and led an anti-lynching movement. She changed America socially, morally, and economically through her investigative reporting. Ida B. Wells changed America socially because her speaking out inspired African-Americans to raise their voices and to create new protests due to the strong influence she had on them. “…her audiences included many leading African-American women…” (Wikipedia).

Ida Bell Wells-Barnett commonly known as Ida B Wells was one of the nation 's most vocal anti-lynch activist of her time.(Steptoe) It all started when three of her African American friends were lynched after they opened up a store, the People’s Grocery, which competed well with a white owned grocery store nearby. A white mob attacked the People’s Grocery and three white men were injured, the owners of the store were then jailed when they were later broken out and lynched. This infuriated Wells and she wrote after the incident urging African Americans to leave Memphis, “There is, therefore, only one thing left to do; save our money and leave a town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts, but takes us out and murders us in cold blood when accused by white persons.” This caused some 6,000 African-Americans to leave Memphis while others started boycotts on white businesses.(Wikipedia)

The years between 1865 and 1920 could be described a time of great change for African Americans in the United States. The year of 1865 President Lincoln established the Emancipation Proclamation this means that it did not end slavery. As a result of the Emancipation Proclamation the Civil War Amendments were the designed to ensure equality for recently emancipated slaves. The 13th Amendment was passed, this was a presidential proclamation and the executive order issue. Due to the passing of the 15th amendment tenants began to take advantage of the fact people were starting to receive more rights.