Ida B. Wells-Barnett House facts for kids
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Ida B. Wells-Barnett House
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June 1, 2007 view
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 Location in Chicago metropolitan area
Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3624 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chicago, IL |
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| Built | 1889 |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000757 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 30, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
The Ida B. Wells-Barnett House was the home of an important civil rights leader, Ida B. Wells (1862–1931). She lived here with her husband, Ferdinand Lee Barnett, from 1919 to 1930. This historic house is located at 3624 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Douglas area of Chicago, Illinois.
This house is very special because of Ida B. Wells's work. It was named a Chicago Landmark on October 2, 1995. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places and became a National Historic Landmark on May 30, 1974. These titles mean it's an important place in American history.
Contents
Exploring the Ida B. Wells-Barnett House
The Ida B. Wells-Barnett House is found on the South Side of Chicago. It sits on the west side of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The house is about halfway between 35th and 37th streets.
What Does the House Look Like?
This house has three stories and is built from a type of stone called ashlar granite. It was built around 1889 in a style known as Romanesque Revival. This style was popular at that time.
The front of the house has a large section on the right and a smaller one on the left. There's also a corner section that sticks out. A round tower, called a turreted bay, comes out from this corner on the second and third floors.
The main door is set back deep inside an arch on the right side. Other parts of the house have windows set in round-arch openings. The top of the right section has a gabled wall dormer. This is a window structure that comes out from the roof. It has two round-arch windows in its center.
Inside the Historic Home
Originally, the house had a side hall plan. This means a hallway ran along one side of the house. The main rooms for guests were on the first floor. Bedrooms were on the second floor. The third floor even had a ballroom, a large room for dancing! Today, the building has been divided into separate apartments.
Who Was Ida B. Wells?
The house was built around 1889–1890. It was designed by an architect named Joseph Thain. In 1919, Ida B. Wells and her husband, Ferdinand Lee Barnett, bought the house. They lived there until 1929. This house is the best preserved of the three homes they lived in Chicago.
Ida B. Wells's Early Life and Education
Ida B. Wells was born into slavery in Mississippi in 1862. Despite her difficult start, she received an education at Rust College. She then became a teacher.
A Champion for Civil Rights
Ida B. Wells was a strong voice for African-American civil rights. She wrote often about the harsh rules of the Jim Crow South. She especially focused on the terrible practice of lynching, which was a form of violence against Black people.
In the early 1890s, she met Ferdinand Lee Barnett. He was a lawyer in Chicago and also worked for civil rights. They married in 1895. Ida B. Wells continued her important writing and activism. She was also one of the people who helped start the NAACP. The NAACP is a major organization that fights for equal rights.
Images for kids
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Tribute on front lawn
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Tribute continued
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