Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was born a slave named Isabella in New York State. Most of her children were sold before she gained her freedom. She and her two youngest sons were purchased and freed by Isaac Van Wagener before New York State abolished slavery in 1827. She adopted Isabella Van Wagener as her free-woman name. Local Quakers helped her sue to recover her youngest son, who had been illegally sold into slavery.
Truth heard voices and saw visions her entire life which she thought came from God. When she met the Missionary Elijah Pierson she heard a call from God "to travel up and down the land" and preach the gospel. Truth developed a powerful oratorical style and was an imposing figure, over six feet tall.
In 1843, she said that God sent her the name Sojourner Truth and she changed her name. The same year she heard an abolitionist speak and incorporated this into her message. She sold copies of her autobiography, "The Narrative of Sojourner Truth" (1850) to support herself while she traveled the country. She never learned to read and dictated it to Olive Gilbert.
She became active with the suffrage movement and gave her famous speech "Ain't I a Woman" (below) at the 1851 Women's Right Convention in Akron, OH. The speech was not recorded at the time; most versions derive from newspaper accounts and a version recalled by Francess Gage, president of the convention.
In later life, she volunteered to raise supplies for black volunteer regiments in the civil war, advocated a "Negro State" in the West, counseled former slaves, and was received at the White House by President Abraham Lincoln.
"Ain't I A Woman?"
by Sojourner Truth
"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the Negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about? That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman? Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? (member of audience whispers, "intellect") That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full? Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them. Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say."
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This article was written by Knowledgerush staff or contributed by users. All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
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Sojourner Truth (1797? - 1883) was the self-given name, from 1843, of a woman born into slavery. The name she was originally given was Isabella Bomefree (later changed to Baumfree). The year of her birth is uncertain, and is usually taken to be 1797.
She escaped to Canada in 1827; after New York state abolished slavery that year, she returned there in 1829, worked as a domestic servant for over a decade, and joined Elijah Pierson in evangelical preaching on street-corners.
Later in life she became a noted speaker for both the Abolitionist movement and the women's rights movement. Perhaps one of her most famous speeches was Ain't I a Woman? (although official records of this speech do not contain this phrase), a short but pointed commentary delivered in 1851 at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio.
In 1850, she worked with Olive Gilbert to produce a biography, the Narrative of Sojourner Truth.
During the American Civil War, she organized collection of supplies for the Union.
See also: Slave narrative
In 1997 the NASA Mars Pathfinder mission's robotic rover was named "Sojourner" after Sojourner Truth.
External links and references
- Genealogy note
- Narrative of Sojourner Truth: http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/truth/1850/1850.html
- An obituary written by Harriet Beecher Stowe is available from the Electronic Text Center, University of Virginia Library: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/
Referenced By
Abolitionism | Abolitionist | Ain't I a Woman | Ain't I a Woman? | Aint I a Woman | Famous African-American people | Famous African-Americans | Famous United States people | Famous women in history | List of African-Americans | List of African Americans | List of American people | List of Americans | List of US Citizens | List of US Nationals | List of United States People | List of famous African-Americans | List of famous United States people | List of people by name: Tp | List of people by name: Tp-Tr | List of people by name: Tq | List of people by name: Tr | List of people from the United States | List of people on stamps of the United States | Mars Pathfinder | People on stamps of the United States | Sojourner | Transcendental Generation
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sojourner Truth".
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If you know facts or have questions about this author post them here.
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I admire Sojourner Truth because she helped African Americans to be free and she was atrue leader.
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I'm doing a report on Sojourner Truth for my History class. and i found this website to be very helpful. Thanks! Also ia dmire Sojourner Truth greaty, she was truly a brave woman!
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I got a part of her "Ain't I a Women" speech and it is most wonerful thing I ever heard.
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I love this site!
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is that all how she supported herself?
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I admire Sojourner Truth because she didn't only see herself as a slave but also as a person. She saw herself as a human being. I feel that she would define herself as a woman but not only as a black woman. she aligned herself with great revolutionary women in her times and got involved with their cause because she believed in the power of unity. She was able to integrate and still not lose the core of herself without forgetting her ultimate goal of shedding a light on the need for the liberation of her people.
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How did Sojourner Truth die? Was she married? Did she have any children?
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Iam doing a report for my reading class.Sojourner was a great woman, she helped with womans rights. I love her speech" Aint I A Woman"!
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sojourner had 5 children:Diane,Peter,Hannah,Elizabeth,and Sophia. She was married to thomas another slave
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hi
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hi
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how did sojurner truth survive in slavery and no freedom?
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im doind a class report and i found alot of reasearch on this site!!
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I love Sojourner Truth because she was the first who spoke african american people.
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where did she die?
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Sojourener truth was the best person alive to be the first person to stop racism and slavery, she also went to a school called huntem bridge elementery, she also went to a collge that did her good, she was also the best person or black person, to ever do something right for a change.She also did MANY things to stop or achieve everything in life, Sojourner truth, in my guidence.
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Sojourener truth was the best person alive to be the first person to stop racism and slavery, she also went to a school called huntem bridge elementery, she also went to a collge that did her good, she was also the best person or black person, to ever do something right for a change.She also did MANY things to stop or achieve everything in life, Sojourner truth, in my guidence.
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From:nathan rogers Sojourener truth was the best person alive to be the first person to stop racism and slavery, she also went to a school called huntem bridge elementery, she also went to a collge that did her good, she was also the best person or black person, to ever do something right for a change.She also did MANY things to stop or achieve everything in life, Sojourner truth, in my guidence. To:Sojourner truth's manager.
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SOURJUNER WAS A GOOD WOMEN AND LIKE MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER ADA GRAY SHE WAS A VERY GOD FEARING WOMEN WITH GREAT FAMILY AND LOVE VALUES A WOMEN OF TRUE BRAVERY
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I'm doing a history project on Sojourner Truth and I would like to know if you could reply this this with any unusual facts or information that you wouldn't be able to find in any ordinary text books.
Thanks.
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dumdum
no help shut web sit off
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