Born enslaved, Ida B. Wells would begin her lifetime of activism by refusing to give up her seat (that she paid for) on a train…72 years before Rosa Parks. She would go on to become one of the most influential journalists and activists of her time. Wells fearlessly faced down sexism, racism, and risked her own life to shine light on the horrors of lynching in the South. She became a force in the women’s rights movement and was an integral part of the creation of the NAACP. Wells would later become the first black woman to run for Senate in the state of Illinois.

And for the record, backed by the Civil Rights Act of 1875, she sued the Chesapeake, Ohio and Southwestern Railroad Company over physically forcing her to give up her seat…and WON (only to have the Tennessee Supreme Court overturn the verdict).

This classic muscle tee design features a crew neck with wide arm holes and is made from superior ring-spun cotton.  This style is a unisex fit, please keep that in mind when selecting a size.