Ida B. Wells. History 263 Continued...

Well a week ago I introduced W E B DuBois, an African American writer. Another influential writer was Ida B. Wells, an African American woman. She worked in Memphis but had to go North for personal safety. She wrote Southern Horrors, a pamphlet to alert the world, African American community, and the white community that would listen about the abuses against her people. Here is a bit I wrote explaining a chapter in her pamphlet:

Why did Ida B. Wells write Southern Horrors?

Ida B. Wells, once a part of the Free Speech in Memphis Tennessee, originally wrote Southern Horrors in defense of an editorial she authored with the former newspaper (50). When several African Americans accused of rape were lynched, Ida B. Wells wrote questioning the rising number of rape accusations brought against her people (53). The rape claims being so frequent, she wrote, would eventually cause sensible citizens to question the innocence of their women (52).
The piece enraged the people of Memphis; consequently, the writers of Free Speech left and the press was closed (51, 53). Wells felt the circumstances merited an exposition on the facts behind her arguments and thus wrote her defense: “Exiled” (50). As its popularity increased, individuals requested the work be printed as a pamphlet (50). Thus the authoress responded to the cry, worked on the piece and published it as Southern Horrors (50). Through it she sought to defend her race stating, “the Afro-American is not a bestial race” and to demonstrate that, “the Afro-American race is more sinned against than sinning” (50). In showing this, she hoped to, “arouse the conscience of the American people to a demand for justice” for all, including her own and to bring those who were lynching to justice (50).

What was her purpose in Southern Horrors?

In Ida B. Well’s “Self Help” from Southern Horrors, she addresses her fellow African Americans in a call to action. Enough time had passed in silent submission. The call presents four ways to eliminate lynching. Of the four, two seek to gain leverage through economic means. Through an effective example, she demonstrates African American power to manipulate white authorities. On one occasion several African Americans left Memphis thereby reducing proceeds for the local transportation business. It induced the business leaders to beg for their return. She utilizes another case in Covington where a segregation law on transportation cut off African American patronage. Since African Americans formed a majority of the travelers, it greatly affected the industry. Withdrawing their presence and their business, African Americans could disrupt the local economy and induce the authorities to denounce lynching. Financial prosperity she argues is quintessential to white society. The other two methods presented entailed action through self-defense. First, she urges the necessity to own and use arms in self-defense. Silent submission to lynching only produced more oppression, resistance would stagnate the bravado of lynching aggressors. Secondly, Ida B. Wells addresses the use of the media. Through media one can alert people rousing them to action; however, she laments, the black press is without resources to properly investigate the committed injustices. Wells offers several examples where African Americans are unjustly accused or dealt harsh sentences and the white individuals involved are either acquitted or dealt easy penalties. Due to lack of wherewithal, African American papers could not properly examine the case and publish an alternate interpretation to the white presses’ rendition. To close, the chapter presents four avenues, emigration, boycott, bearing arms, and the media, whereby African Americans can effectively stand up and force the establishment to outlaw lynching.

Stay tuned for more pieces on African American history...