IN Focus: Ida B. Wells (July 16, 1862 – March 25, 1931)
Ida B. Wells was a fearless journalist, anti-lynching crusader, and suffragist who challenged the status quo with facts sharper than any weapon. Born into slavery in Mississippi in 1862, Wells used her freedom not to escape danger—but to confront it head-on.
After the lynching of three of her friends in Memphis in 1892, Wells launched one of the earliest and most comprehensive campaigns to expose the truth behind lynching in America. Armed with data, newspaper columns, and unmatched courage, she investigated case after case, revealing that these acts of terror were rarely about justice—and always about control.
Co-founder of the NAACP, early advocate for women’s voting rights, and one of the first to frame racial violence as a national crisis, Wells risked her life to speak the truth. When her office was burned down, she wrote louder. When she was forced into exile, she never backed down.
Honor the Legacy. Wear the Story. Grab the "Ida B. Wells is INerasable" t-shirt from our Legacy Collection—honor history and celebrate resilience.
INerasable: Ida B. Wells' Legacy
She turned the pen into a weapon of resistance. Ida B. Wells is INerasable because she refused to let lies define her people.
While others tried to “wait for the right moment,” she was already publishing, organizing, and demanding accountability from a nation built on denial. She proved that journalism can be activism, and that silence—especially from the powerful—is a choice.
Wells didn’t just call out injustice. She documented it, named it, and dared the world to look. Her legacy lives in every investigative reporter, every protest sign, every policy report that refuses to let facts be buried.
Art IN Context: Expressionism and the Fire of Truth
Ida B. Wells is rendered in Expressionism—a style rooted in raw emotion, distortion, and inner fire. Expressionist art doesn’t just show how the world looks—it reveals how it feels.
In this portrait, the lines are jagged, the colors intense—reds, purples, and blacks swirl like ink and fury. Her eyes lock with yours, unwavering. This isn’t a portrait of stillness—it’s a snapshot of urgency.
Expressionism matches Wells’s voice: unfiltered, passionate, and impossible to ignore. It rejects soft edges or comfortable lies. Through this lens, Wells is not merely remembered—she is felt.
IN Depth: Resources to Learn More
Books & Articles
- Ida: A Sword Among Lions – Paula J. Giddings
A groundbreaking, award-winning biography that captures Wells' fearless crusade against lynching and her pioneering role in investigative journalism and civil rights.
➤ https://www.harpercollins.com/products/ida-paula-j-giddings - Crusade for Justice: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells – Edited by Alfreda Duster
Wells’ own words detailing her activism, journalism, and fight for justice—edited by her daughter. Essential reading.
➤ https://press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p078170 - National Women's History Museum – Ida B. Wells Biography
A concise and accurate summary of Wells’ activism, journalism, and her legacy in American history.
➤ https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett - Zinn Education Project – Teaching Ida B. Wells
Educational materials and teaching tools for understanding Wells’ resistance to white supremacy and sexism.
➤ https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/ida-b-wells/
Archives
- Ida B. Wells Papers – University of Chicago Special Collections
Digitized access to letters, clippings, and documents from Wells’ life and work.
➤ https://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/scrc/findingaids/view.php?eadid=ICU.SPCL.WELLS - Ida B. Wells-Barnett House – National Historic Landmark (Chicago)
Background on her historic residence, now preserved as a symbol of her activism.
➤ https://www.nps.gov/places/ida-b-wells-barnett-house.htm - The New York Public Library Digital Collections – Ida B. Wells Pamphlets
Digitized primary sources including her anti-lynching pamphlets such as “Southern Horrors” and “The Red Record.”
➤ https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/collections/ida-b-wells-pamphlets
Multimedia
- Ida B. Wells: A Passion for Justice – PBS American Experience Documentary
Narrated by Toni Morrison, this film explores Wells’ journalism and activism with rare archival footage.
➤ https://www.pbs.org/video/ida-b-wells-a-passion-for-justice-xcyz4q/ - National Portrait Gallery – Wells Featured Talk
A video segment discussing Wells’ legacy in the context of American art and civil rights.
➤ https://npg.si.edu/blog/remembering-ida-b-wells - Unladylike2020: The Changemakers – PBS
Short, animated video that introduces Wells’ life and mission to younger or new audiences.
➤ https://www.pbs.org/video/ida-b-wells-unladylike2020-nrg7dw/
Exploring Art Styles (Expressionism)
- Expressionism Movement – The Art Story
Overview of this emotional, bold style—mirroring the moral urgency of Wells’ writing and oratory.
➤ https://www.theartstory.org/movement/expressionism/ - Tate Modern – Expressionism Explained
A foundational breakdown of Expressionism as a reaction to injustice and trauma, which aligns with Wells’ activism.
➤ https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/e/expressionism
IN print. INvestigative. INerasable.
