Wells was first exposed to the burgeoning system of Jim Crow in the South through a train encounter in 1884. Wells understood her complex social identity as a black women and how that would be perceived in society so she made efforts to present a respectable image of womanhood. However, despite this training Wells defiant nature created a scene. Wells brought a first-class train ticket on a train ride and was seated when the conductor came around to collect everyone’s tickets. Wells presented her ticket and the conductor left, which made Wells perceive the interaction to be over. Despite that, the conductor returned and asked Wells to migrate to the smoking section of the train, that section was reserved for Black passengers. Wells refusal
