Ida B. Wells

Ida B. Wells (1862–1931) was a Black investigative journalist, researcher, educator, activist, and an early leader in the civil-rights movement. After the lynching of one of her friends, she began investigating and writing about lynchings. In 1892, white supremacists who were angered by her writings burned down her press and forced her to leave Memphis. She was the founder of the National Association for Colored Women’s Club (NACWC) and was one of the founders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).