Final answer:
The correct answer to the question is (b), 'tragic consequences' which followed Wells's outspoken writings against lynching in an 1892 newspaper, provoking violence and forcing her to flee Memphis.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tumultuous repercussions that followed Wells's incendiary pronouncements in the May 21, 1892, edition of the Free Speech were tragic consequences. Wells, who was a journalist and civil rights activist, had written about the lynching of three African American businessmen, which incited public outrage and violent responses.
The backlash to her articles included the destruction of her newspaper office by a mob and threats against her life, forcing her to relocate from Memphis to Chicago.