Writer Exposed Racial Injustice
Ida B Wells built quite a repu
tation. even in her day.
Her journalist colleagues con
sidered her the sharpest and tough
est of investigative reporters. The
black editor, T. Thomas Fortune,
said of her: "She's tough as nails,
sharp as steel, with plenty of nerve.
For more than 40 years. Wells'
editorials and speeches were impor
tant forces in bringing world atten
tion to the atrocities Southern
Blacks endured.
Wells was born in Holly
Springs, Miss., during the Civil
War. She was only 16, the oldest
child, w hen her parents died of yel
low fever. Determined to support
the family, she took an assumed
name and lied about her age to get a
job as a teacher.
In 1884, she moved the family
to Memphis, seeking better eco
nomic opportunities. Wells studied
at Fisk University and LeMoyne
Institute while still teaching.
Although slavery had ended, she
saw social and economic conditions
for blacks getting worse.
Second-class, separate facilities*,
existed in schools and businesses
throughout Memphis. Blacks rou
tinely were banned from eating and
drinking establishments and denied
basic civil rights. But when Wells
was thrown off a train for refusing
to move to the. black car, the inci
dent was anything but routine.
Indignant and outraged, she sued the
Chesapeake. Ohio and Southwestern
Railroad *nd *1 mti ally wan S 500 \TT
damages. Which was le^ei'vd on
appeal.
Wells enthusiastically wrote a
story for a black church newspaper.
The overwhelming reader response
convinced her the press was very
powerful and could inspire large
numbers of people. She wrote.
There is no agency so potent as the
press, in reaching and elevating a
people."
Thus, the written word became
her tool for social change.
She began to write practical
articles about everyday problems
and articles about Tennessee coun
try and city life. She was not afraid
to expose racial injustices. Before
long. Wells had established herself
as a respected journalist.
Published under the pen name
lola. her articles appeared in a num
ber of prestigious journals. In 1889,
she bought a one-third interest in the
Memphis Free Speech an \Head
Light, and became its editor,
Wells always spoke her mind.
And when her criticism of the racist
and inadequate Southern education,
system caused her to lose her teach
ing job. her determination to fight
for black rights simply grew.
Her colleagues showed their
approval by electing her secretary of
the Afro-American Press Associa
tion. They nicknamed her, "Princess
of the Press."
When the Afrb- American
League was formed in 1891 by T.
Thomas Fortune^- Wells became its
most vocal member. The League
was created to support black civil
rights and to mobilize the black
community. But when it failed to
adopt an aggressive approach, Wells
condemned its inability to affect
change.
Her letter to Fortune voiced her
fighting spirit: "Yes, we'll have to
fight, but the beginning of the fight
must be with our own people. So
long as the majority of them are not
educated to the point of proper self
respect, so long our condition here
will be hopeless."
Wells' focus changed after two
events rocked Memphis. A close
friend was lynched for being too
successful a business man," and
three black grocers were hanged fol
lowing false accusations.
Wells urged blacks to leave
Memphis.
) She wrote, "I have no power to
describe the feeling of horror that
possessed every member of the race
in Memphis when the truth dawned
upon us that the protection of the
law was no longer ours."
She traveled extensively to
bring national attention to the prob
lems Southern blacks faced. While
in New York, she learned the offices
of Free Speech had been vandalized,
and her life was in jeopardy if she
returned to Memphis. Fortune hired
Author Defends Neglect Of Community
seller about Winston-Salem. William
Rice, a former history professor at
Winston-Salem State University and
a founder of the local African-Amer
ican Historical Society, said Horton
leaves his book open to criticism
because of its title and the introduc
tion. which gives readers the impres
sion that the book is inclusive.
"It seems to provide a distorted
picture of life in the community,"
said Rice. "You can't isolate and
leave out segments of the commu
nity. unless you state that's what
you're doing up front."
Rice talked about the Goler
Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church at
Seventh and Patterson streets, which
has been at that location since the
late 19th century.
There s only one brief reference
to Winston-Salem State University in
the book (and that's in the context of
"recreational facilities" such as Bow
man Gray Stadium), while Wake
Forest University is referred to three
times. There's also a picture of Wait
Chapel, which is on Wake Forest's
campus.
"Winston-Salem State just com
pleted its 100th anniversary and that
in itself says a lot about the school,"
said Rice.'
"It's very unfortunate that he
didn't mention us. but I'm not at all
surprised," said Marie Roseboro, a
civic leader and lifelong resident of
Winston-Salem. "He's obviously
from the old school. They have that
mentality. They're just black folk,
they don t mind.' If he's going to
promote Winston-Salem, we ought
to be included. We helped to build
this city."
Chapter nine of the book is
called "Our Diverse Cultural Life,"
but there is no mention of African
Americans.
"I'm not at all surprised. '4 said
Larry Leon Hamlin, the artistic
director of the N.C. Black Repertory
Ford Motor Co Investigates Crash
r
horn. He said they were called by,
the V\ irMon-Salem police depart-'
ment to assist in the investigation.
The car caught fire.aand most
of the time that doesn't happen, but
this tune it did." said Capt. Franklin
Holman of the department's special
operations division. "We're looking
what caused the tire."
The State Bureau of Investiga
tion and the Winston-Salem Fire
Department are also involved in the
investigation.
The officer's widow. Sonja Jen
nings. said she. too. wishes she had
answers. .
"Ms main concern is why the
car e\pKxied." she said. "I know it's
not going to bring my husband back,
but it svili give me peace of mind."
Jennings said she was aware
that Ford officials were in town to
investigate the cause of the fire, but
that she hasn't been contacted by
anyone connected with the investi
gation.
Dr. John Butts, the state's chief
medical examiner, said that Jen
nings, 30. was knocked unconsious
by the car s impact, but it was the
fire that killed him. The toxicology
reports showed not drugs or alcohol
in his bloodstream. Butts said.
Jennings and Officer Timothy
Ravvon Wilson, 27, were traveling
south on Winston Lake Road in
their patrol car around 6:30 p.m. that
Friday evening when Jennings lost
control of his patrol car at the crest
of a hill where the road curves.
Tread marks on the road, a sign of
brakes being applied, indicate that
JenningsJost control of the car about
82 feet before the car hit a tree on
the east side of the road.
Holman told the Chronicle last
week that excessive speed was the
cause of the accident, but the depart
ment hasn't been able to determine
thenar's exact speed. ?
Jennings said her husband was
a sate driver, and didn't have a habit
of speeding. "They keep saying he
was speeding, but I don't believe
that," she said.
Shortly after the car hit the tree,
it burst into flames, Holman said.
Wilson, who was released from
Forsyth Memorial Hospital last
week, suffered a broken hip and
head lacerations. He has been
unavailable for comment since the
accident. Both officers were wear
ing their seat belts, Holman' said,
and the Ford Taurus is equipped
with driver-side air bags. The car
had a full tank of gas, Holman said.
Holman said that the depart
ment had experienced no problems
with its new Ford Tauruses and he
said he thought they were "okay" as
patrol cars.
Lt. J. G. Hippert; who manages
the fleet for the police department,
said that the department is currently
using 65 1992 Ford Tauruses. and
has an additional 66 1993's on order.
The Tauruses marked the first time
the department has used front-wheel
drives vehicles as patrol cars, com
pared to their previous use as
unmarked surveillance vehicles.
Hippert said that the car Jen
nings was using had less than 1,600
miles on it and had never required
servicing.
Sorors Recently Honored
Members of Mu Sigma, the
local chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho
Sorority. Inc. recently honored
sorors who have been Sigma
Gamma Rho women for 50 years or
more.
Maxwell Banks Grier
ary, the fifty year sorors were pre
sent with a cake with the inscrip
tion: "Congratulations - Fifty Ye^r
Virginia Barsley
A Sigma Woman.
The member* nf Alpha Mu are
*o very prou(' of and grateful to
these sorors for paving the way for
us to travel.
Their past and future services
will always be cherished.
Ida B. Wells
her as a columnist for The New York
Kge, which gave her a new opportu
nity tp investigate lynchings and to
expose injustices.
Wells published two influential
pamphlets, "Southern Horrors" in
1892 and "A Red Record" in 1895.
She lectured in England and Scot
land, bringing worldwide attention
to disfranchisement, segregation and
lynchings in the United States.
Eventually she settled in
Chicago, married Ferdinand L. Bar
nett. and organized women's clubs
and anti-lynching committees. She
also spent two years as editor of the
Chicago Conserv ator before starting
he own family. Wells continued her
anti-lynching campaign until her
death in 1931 .
Company. "It's not the first time
we've been omitted from something.
We are one of the most important
black repertory companies in the
world. It's certainly a slap in the face
of every African American. What
more can we do?"
Horton said he called the corn
pan) three times and they never got
back to me."
Horton said he has been criti
cized by members of the Forsyth
Country Club for not including a pic
ture of their building as he did of Old
Town Country' Club. When asked
why he included a photograph of a
club that doesn't allow minorities a.s
from page A 1
Injured?
We can help.
We're paid only
\Jf you collect.
lewis ,
DAGGETT
ATTORNEYS XT LAW. P. A.
Michael Lewis
David D. Daggett
Celeste Harris, R.N., J.D.
ATTORVEYS AT tvAW p<
Michae1 Lewis
David D Daggett
Celeste Hams
765-7777
Phones answered 24 hours
285 Executive Park Blvd
Winston-Salem NC 27103
A HISTORY OF I
HELPING PEOPLE 1
members, he said that the olub is the
site of many functions.
Horton said that another white
person told him that the book was a
J typical white male elitist approach
to the community." Horton laughed
and said that the reason the book's
postscript includes an address is for
those readers who would like to sug
gest changes or additions.
Special Occasions
African
American
Baataallera
January
Fiction
1VOUR BLUES AIN T LIKE MINE by B?d?
Moor* Campbell (Q P Putnam $ Sons).
$2? 95. 0 399 13746 7) A no.el pf murder
C?? and pwion m if* Mississippi Delta
2 WAITING TO EXHALE by Tarry McMillan
(Viking Penguin. $22. 0 870 83980 9). Four
succe**tul Atrcan Amarican woman coma to
terms with middle age and their continuing
search tor an ideal romanlc relation* hip
3EROTIQUE NOIRE SLACK EROTICA ed Bed by
Miriam DeCoita Willi*. Reginald Martin and
Roseann P Ball (Doubieday/ Anchor Book*.
$27 50 he. 0 385 42308 X. $14 pb. 0 385
42309 8) An anthology ol Mac* aronca teatirmg
stones and poems by prominent Mack writers
4 BAILEY'S CAFE by Gloria Naylor (Harcouri
Brace Jovanovich, $19 95. 0 45-110450-6) A
group ol mtttns (hare thee lionet* m Naylor*
'magical cale
4>
5 DISAPPEARING ACTS by Tarry McMillan
(Pocket Books. $8.95. 0 871 70843 0: Viking
Penguin. $18 95. 0 670 82461 5). A soma
lima* {oyous, (omelime* tragic story ol an
African American man and woman m love.
NONFICTION
1THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X
edited by Alex Haley (Batten tine. $2 00, 0 345
35088-5) The rise ol the charismatic black
leader m hM own wont*
2 THE MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS: A LET
TER TO MY CHILOREN AND YOURS by
Marian Wright Edeiman (Beacon Pre**. $15. 0
807 03102 X) The founder ol the Children *
Defense Fund (hare* her Insights and advice
on teaching value* to America s children
3 LIVE YOUR DREAMS by Les Brawn (WWiam
Morrow. $20. 0 688 1 18895) A positive think
Ing book on day to-day Nving
4 BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY THE TRIALS
AND TRIBULATIONS Of THE MAKING OF
MALCOLM X by Spike Lee with Ralph WHey
(Hyperion, $12.95, J 56282 913 0). Lee s per
sonal account ol his exploration m?o the Meand
death of Malcolm X and the director s long
struggle with HoNywood lb produce the Mm.
5 THE JUDAS FACTOR: THE PLOT TO KILL
MALCOLM X by Karl Evanzz (Thunder's
Mouth Pre**. $21 95. 1 56025 049 6). A theo
ry on the truth behind the assassination of the
powerful and controversial Mack leader
- Special Occasions
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Thursday, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Beginning February 4. 1993
Through March 1 1. 1993
LOCATION:
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INSTRUCTOR: Delorps Smith
This coursc is a series of seminars that covers specific topics dealing with
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