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The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.

Ida B. Wells

What becomes a crime deserving capital punishment when the tables are turned is a matter of small moment when the negro woman is the accusing party.
IDA B. WELLS

Accuse Become Capital Country Crime Deserve Matter Osment Party Punishment Small Table Turn Women
The only times an Afro-American who was assaulted got away has been when he had a gun and used it in self-defense.
IDA B. WELLS

Assault Been Country Defense Gum Only Self Time Used
In fact, for all kinds of offenses – and, for no offenses – from murders to misdemeanors, men and women are put to death without judge or jury; so that, although the political excuse was no longer necessary, the wholesale murder of human beings went on just the same.
IDA B. WELLS

All Death Fact Judge Jury Kind Men Misdemeanors Murder Offense Put Without Women
Thus lynch law held sway in the far West until civilization spread into the Territories and the orderly processes of law took its place.
IDA B. WELLS

Held Law Lynch Orderly Place Process Spread Sway Territories Took Until West
One had better die fighting against injustice than die like a dog or a rat in a trap.
IDA B. WELLS

Better Die Dog Had Injustice Like One Rat Trap
The city of Memphis has demonstrated that neither character nor standing avails the Negro if he dares to protect himself against the white man or become his rival.
IDA B. WELLS

Against Avail Character City Country Dare Demonstrate Himself Man Neither People Person Protect Rival Stand
In slave times the Negro was kept subservient and submissive by the frequency and severity of the scourging, but, with freedom, a new system of intimidation came into vogue; the Negro was not only whipped and scourged; he was killed.
IDA B. WELLS

Country Freedom Frequency Kept People Scourging Severity Slave Submissive Time
The Afro-American is not a bestial race. If this work can contribute in any way towards proving this, and at the same time arouse the conscience of the American people to a demand for justice to every citizen, and punishment by law for the lawless,
IDA B. WELLS

Arouse Bestial Contribute Country Demand Every Law People Prove Punishment Race Same Time Towards Way Work
The lesson this teaches and which every Afro-American should ponder well, is that a Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home, and it should be used for that protection which the law refuses to give.
IDA B. WELLS

Black Country Every Home Honor Lessons People Person Pinder Place Protection Refuse Teacher Well
I had an instinctive feeling that the people who have little or no school training should have something coming into their homes weekly which dealt with their problems in a simple, helpful way… so I wrote in a plain, common-sense way on the things that concerned our people.
IDA B. WELLS

Come Feeling Home Instinctive Little People Schoo Something Training Weekly
The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the crowd.
IDA B. WELLS

Body Century Crowd Cut Distribute Ear Finger Flesh Lynching Mom Nineteen Portion Souvenirs Strip Toe
No nation, savage or civilized, save only the United States of America, has confessed its inability to protect its women save by hanging, shooting, and burning alleged offenders
IDA B. WELLS

Civilized Confess Country Hang Inability Nation No Only Protect Savage Save Women
I felt that one had better die fighting against injustice than to die like a dog or rat in a trap.
IDA B. WELLS

Better Die Dog Fell Fight Had Injustice One Rat Tarp
The more the Afro-American yields and cringes and begs, the more he has to do so, the more he is insulted, outraged and lynched.
IDA B. WELLS

Country Cringe Do Insult Lynch More Outrage To Yield
It is extremely rough to follow through with my goals, but I felt a responsibility to show the world what the African Americans are facing through this rough patch.
IDA B. WELLS

Country Extremely Face Felt Follow Goal Patch Responsibility Rough Show World
The doors of churches, hotels, concert halls and reading rooms are alike closed against the Negro as a man, but every place is open to him as a servant.
IDA B. WELLS

Against Alike Church Close Concert Country Door Hall Hotel Open People Person Place Raedm Room Servant

The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.

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The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them.

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