Ida B Wells Research Paper

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Pages: 3

Journalism provides the limitless potential for an individual to share their passionate views and ultimately enforce knowledge and better understanding on a subject. The controversial stances that journalism imposes allows for a deeper relationship between society and a writer. Ida B Wells exemplified the traits of a perfect journalist by following her heart and doing what she thought was right. Her life was a constant learning process in which she suffered and prevailed.

Ida B. Wells was born on July 16th, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. Ida and her family were slaves during what was considered the middle of the Civil War time period. Although the the Emancipation Proclamation forced the Union to declare freedom for all slaves in the confederate states, African Americans living in the South continued to endure unjust racial discrimination. Wells was the oldest sibling in her family. Her parents, James and Lizzie Wells, were deeply invested in establishing the opportunity of education
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Her motivation to spread awareness on this topic led her to become a part owner of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight, as well as the Free Speech. Wells continued to discover terrifying racial discrimination, when the act of lynching innocent African Americans, including her friend, was exposed to her. These unjust acts of violence encouraged Wells to write articles regarding the illegitimate lynching of African Americans. Threatening to be murdered if she continued to investigate further lynching incidents in Memphis, Wells remained in the North for a while. She eventually gathered enough information to effectively publish a compelling article, for the New York Age, on the unethical lynchings in America. Eventually, in 1893, Wells wrote and published A Red Record, detailing acts of lynching throughout