The statement that Wells describes boycotts of businesses and railroads as an act of civil disobedience long before Martin Luther King engaged in such actions is True.
1. Explanation: Ida B. Wells was an African American journalist, suffragist, and civil rights activist who advocated for racial equality and social justice. She is known for her anti-lynching campaign and her work against segregation. Wells utilized boycotts as a form of protest to challenge racial discrimination. One notable instance was her call for a boycott of the streetcars in Memphis after she was forcibly removed from a first-class train car, which exemplifies her use of boycotts as a form of civil disobedience.
2. Comparison to Martin Luther King Jr.: While Martin Luther King Jr. is widely recognized for his leadership in the Civil Rights Movement and his use of nonviolent protest methods, including boycotts (such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott), Ida B. Wells predates him in utilizing boycotts as a tool for social change. Wells' activism and advocacy, including her use of boycotts, were instrumental in laying the foundation for later civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr.
