Ida B. Wells-Barnett by Sallie E. Garrity, Albumen silver print c. 1893
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
BREAKING THE COLOR LINE: At the first national march for women's suffrage, held in 1913, Ida B. Wells-Barnett wouldn't take no for an answer. The renowned journalist and civil rights activist defied organizers' attempts to segregate black women in the procession. Instead of marching with black women in a section of the parade designated explicitly for them, she joined white suffragists marching with the Illinois state delegation (her home state).
Wells-Barnett's portrait will be on display as part of Votes for Women: A Portrait of Persistence, a major exhibition opening Mar. 29 at the National Portrait Gallery.
Theme
Activism
Topic
Black Women