Ida Bell Wells-Barnett

July 16, 1862 - March 25, 1931

born Holy Springs, Mississippi

Slave parents, lost parents and 3 siblings to yellow fever at 14, Rust University and Fisk University, became teacher, refused to give up her seat for the colored section and sued railroad in 1880s, wrote articles, pen name Iola, led national campaign against lynching, her Memphis newspaper, office was mobbed and destroyed 1892, lectured and organized clubs, protested exclusion of Blacks from Worlds Columbian Exposition 1894, married lawyer, 4 children, founded Alpha Suffrage Club of Chicago with Black suffragists, marched in Washington, D.C. 1913 and Chicago 1916 suffrage parades, Chicago probation officer 1913-1916, ally of W.E.B. DuBois, felt NAACP was not outspoken enough.

Biographical information excerpted from Women Win the Vote distributed by The National Womens History Project, 7738 Bell Road, Windsor, California, 95492-8518.

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