Ida B. Wells’ Birthday – Anniversary

July 16, 1862. African-American journalist and antilynching crusader Ida B. Wells was born the daughter of slaves at Holly Springs, MS,and grew up as Jim Crow and lynching were becoming prevalent. Wells arguedthat lynchings occurred not to defend white women but because of whites fear of economic competition from blacks. She traveled extensively, founding antilynching societies and black womens clubs. Wellss Red Record (1895)was one of the first published accounts of lynchings in the South. She died Mar 25, 1931, at Chicago, IL.