Ida B. Wells: the original Rosa Parks‏

Ida B. Wells is one of the many unsung heroes in American History. Many of her achievements have been overshadowed by other leaders within the civil rights movement for various reasons. However, Ida made her mark in history and helped pave the way for future freedom fighters–such as Rosa Parks.

More than years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and move to the back of a bus, Ida B. Wells refused to give up her seat on a train.

While riding a train in 1884, Ida was told to move from her seat in the ladies’ car to the smoking car by the conductor. Ida refused to move to the smoking car because she was a lady; thus she remained seated in the ladies car. The conductor tried to remove Ida from her seat, so she fastened her teeth in his hand. It took three white men to remove Ida from her seat by dragging her. Later, she hired an attorney to bring suit against Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad winning $500 in damages.

Although the court’s ruling was overturned on appeal, this was a major milestone for the African-American community. Ida spent the rest of her life as a tireless crusader against racial injustice.