Ida B. Wells-Barnett and the Crusade against Lynching

Ida B. Wells-Barnett faced two great social barriers in her crusade to end the rampant practice of lynching African Americans: she was black and she was a woman. Born during the Civil War, she was well spoken and outspoken, and often risked her own safety when pointing out the misdeeds of others. However, she focused attention on the unjust horrors committed in the South and changed many hearts. Her tireless work earned her the title of “mother of the civil rights movement.”