Final answer:
Ida B. Wells-Barnett exposed the injustices against African Americans through investigative journalism, specifically documenting and campaigning against the practice of lynching as a tool of racial oppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a pioneering African American journalist and a crusader against the injustices faced by African Americans, particularly the barbaric practice of lynching. Born into slavery, Wells rose to become a teacher, newspaper editor, and civil rights leader, utilizing her skills to expose the true nature of lynching in the South. Her bravery propelled her into a lifelong activism that included the launch of an anti-lynching campaign and pushing for the formation of the National Association of Colored Women.
Wells' groundbreaking publication, Southern Horror: Lynch Law in All Its Phases, unveiled the extent of lynching and its usage as not merely a response to alleged crimes but a tool for enforcing white supremacy. Upon her friend's lynching in 1892 and the subsequent destruction of her press by a mob, Wells did not shy away from danger; instead, she escalated her efforts by lecturing worldwide and leading movements to classify lynching as a federal crime. Her investigative journalism had a lasting impact, also evident in the establishment of the Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, which upholds her legacy by encouraging journalists to uncover government injustices and advocate for vulnerable populations.