Ida Wells Birthday & Fun Facts

Ida Wells Birthday Highlights

Birth Name

Ida Wells

Place Of Birth

Holly Springs, USA

Age

161 years old

Birth Date

July 16 1862

Ida Wells Facts

Child Star?

no

Occupation

Teacher, Editor, Journalist, Activist

Education & Qualifications

Net Worth

$2,000,000

Current Partner

Ferdinand L. Barnett

Children

Alfreda, Ida, Charles, Herman

Parents

Elizabeth Warrenton, James Wells

Siblings

Eugenia, James, Annie, Stanley, Lily, Eddie, George

Ida B Wells was an alumnus of Rust College and Fisk University.

Ida B Wells played a part in establishing several associations to uphold the values of civil rights. She also spoke out against the racial injustice in government offices.

Ida B Wells was an early Civil Rights leader, activist, educator, investigative journalist, teacher, and newspaper editor from Holly Springs, Mississippi. She was also one of the founders of the NAACP or National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Ida B Wells became one of the most popular black women in the US as she fought for African-American equality, particularly for women's rights, and against violence and prejudice. She was an activist from 1884 until she died in 1931. Ida B Wells understood the importance of voicing her opinion and began to write articles about racial inequality for magazines and newspapers. She also had to give up her job as a teacher because she was a huge vocal critic of the injustice faced by colored students in schools. We will also discuss her educational background, earnings, awards, charity, and family life.

What was Ida B Wells' net worth?

The estimated net worth of Ida B Wells was $2 million by the time of her death.

How much did Ida B Wells earn per year?

The exact amount of income earned by Ida B Wells is not known. Her main source of earnings was through writing, teaching, and journalism.

How tall was Ida B Wells?

Ida B Wells was 5 ft (152 cm) in height.

How old was Ida B Wells?

Ida B Wells was 68 years old when she died in 1931.

Ida B Wells was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi, on July 16, 1862, to Elizabeth Warrenton and James Madison Wells with dark brown eyes and black hair under the zodiac sign of Cancer.

Ida B Wells was the eldest child and grew up with seven siblings. Her siblings were Eugenia Wells, James Wells, Annie Wells Fitts, Stanley Wells, Lily Wells, Eddie Wells, and George Wells. Her father had his carpentry business and was a trustee of Shaw College, or the Rust College as we know it today. He was also a part of the Republican Party. Her mother was well-known for her culinary skills. Ida B Wells went to Rust College. She lost her parents and a sibling to yellow fever in 1878. Ida B Wells took up a teaching position in Holly Springs' Black elementary school. She later moved to Memphis.

Who was Ida B Wells' partner?

Ida B Wells married Ferdinand Barnett in Chicago on June 27, 1895. He had two sons, Albert Barnett and Ferdinand Barnett, from his previous marriage. He was the founder of the first Black newspaper, The Chicago Conservator, and Wells also worked for it. The couple had four children, Charles Barnett, Herman Barnett, Ida Barnett, Jr., and Alfreda Barnett.

Best Known For…

Ida B Wells started to write about racial injustice after being asked to move to the train car for African-Americans, although she had a ticket for first class. She won a $500 settlement in the lower court but lost in the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Ida B Wells worked in the Shelby County school system after moving to Memphis. She went to Fisk University for summer sessions. Wells also went to Lemoyne-Owen College. She later bought 'Free Speech.' Ida B Wells owned 'Memphis Free Speech' and 'Headlight' newspapers. Wells also wrote for these newspapers. Around the same time, she was a teacher in a segregated school. However, she lost her job in 1891 for vocalizing the racial injustice in schools. Wells voiced her opinions about a lynching incident in Memphis in 1892. She went on to travel across southern regions to research this incident. An article about the same was published in the newspaper, due to which a mob destroyed Wells' office. Wells was in New York and did not return to Memphis.

Wells started writing about the anti-lynching campaign in the New York Age newspaper. She began her lecture tour in 1893. Wells ran for Illinois State Senate while in Chicago. She also organized a Black boycott at the World's Columbian exposition. Wells published a personal lynching incident in the 'Red Record' in 1895. She took her protest against lynching to the White House and demanded reforms from the then-president William McKinley to end the lynching. In 1896, she founded the National Association of Colored Women. Wells later established a kindergarten in the African-American community. Her protests, writings, and speeches document the history of the battle against racial prejudices and social injustice.

Ida B Wells is well-known as a women's rights and civil rights leader, activist, and writer. She was vocal about the racial injustice during the Civil Rights Movement. Wells was also the co-founder of the National Afro-American Council, Alpha Suffrage Club, and the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.

What awards did Ida B Wells win?

Wells was posthumously awarded by the New York County Lawyers' Association, the University of Louisville, and the National Association of Black Journalists.

• In 2002, the African-American professor, Molefi Kete Asante, included Ida B Wells in the '100 Greatest African-Americans.'

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