Ida B. Wells

Journalism should be forever grateful to Ida B. Wells. One of the pioneers for investigative journalism, she is an American hero for the ages. To be an African American woman and go after whites and the unjust lynchings of fellow African Americans took an amazing amount of courage and tenacity. Like Garrison, she never backed down from a fight, but rose above to be more motivated and more ferocious than before. Nothing deterred her from her cause, nothing forced her from her anti-lynching editorials. Wells was brave enough to go after an issue that was considered "fact" and wasn't getting press coverage from the mainstream media.

I have great respect for Ida B. Wells and her never-ending fight and persistence. To be able to successfully investigate and uncover such misdeeds as the lynchings of innocent African Americans at that time is nothing short of admirable. She should be given 95 percent of the credit for starting the anti-lynching movement and turning the nation's attention to a cause that would have otherwise been overlooked. I think it can be argued that Wells indirectly saved hundreds, if not thousands, of African American lives with her efforts. She, again like Garrison, is a national hero and should be emulated by more journalists current and future.