Take a moment to picture a broad-shouldered,
six-foot-tall African-American woman, with deep-set brown eyes and high,
prominent cheek bones. A woman with a disfigured hand from a childhood
accident, whose voice is just as powerful as her silence. A woman who
interrupted and challenged the famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass about his
approach to combating racism at a conference in Boston[1].
A woman who despite never learning how to read or write, successfully became
one of the most influential figures in American history. That woman was
Sojourner Truth.
Sojourner Truth is the name
Isabella Baumfree chose for herself in 1843. Before then, Isabella was a girl born
into slavery to Dutch owners in New York sometime during the year 1797. Here
she was sold from slave owner to slave owner throughout her childhood until she
was eventually sold to James Dumont in 1810. Here she remained for sixteen
years, bearing five children throughout that time period, until in 1826 when she
escaped to freedom. Truth chose to escape because when the process of
abolishing slavery was being initiated in New York, slaves were not expected to
be emancipated until 1827. However, Dumont promised to give Truth her freedom a
year early. Not long after, Dumont changed his mind and told Truth he would not free her early.
Angered, Truth left four of her five children behind and fled, finding shelter
from a Quaker family[2].
Sojourner Truth persevered through decades
of slave labor, consistent abuse, and so much more. In 1815, Truth fell in love
with a slave named Robert from a nearby farm. Their relationship was forbidden
by Robert’s master. When Robert snuck out to meet Truth one night, he was
caught by his owner and his owner’s son who brutally beat him. Robert later passed
away as a result of the injuries[3].
Despite all she went through, including the loss of a loved one, Truth prevailed
as a proud and self-assured woman. These hardships are what eventually leads
her to recreate her identity by naming herself Sojourner Truth. This name
reflects Truth’s belief that it was her mission from God to travel and speak
the truth. Though sometimes met with hostility, Truth maintained her dedication
to traveling and preaching about her beliefs. For this reason, Truth is remembered
as a fierce, strong-willed woman who advocated for the rights of women and the
rights of African-Americans. She fought for what she believed to be right and
moral despite the consequences and the opposition she would face. The legacy
she left behind depicts a feminist, an abolitionist, a powerful speaker, and a
leader in the fight for human rights. Truth was and is a role model for many,
as she demonstrated that it is possible to make your voice heard despite those
who try to silence you and make you think you’re inferior. She is a symbol for
speaking the truth even if you are standing alone. The impact that she left on
this world, and that she left on the many people who followed in her footsteps,
is often minimized and can go unnoticed, which is why it is so important to
reflect on the life she lead.
Having never learned how to read or
write, Truth was unable to leave behind any first-hand accounts of her work.
The only records of her tremendous speeches and discussions are transcriptions written
by white women, who have been revealed to twist the truth in their reports[4].
The authors of these transcriptions went as far as omitting parts of her
speeches, depicting the crowd as hateful towards Truth when in reality they
were not, and even describing Truth as speaking with a southern accent though
Truth always lived in New York. Despite this, the information available about
Truth gives insight to her revolutionary views and beliefs. Despite being held
back by the inability to read or write, she persisted and continued to travel
and spread the truth.
The speech Truth is most famous for
is “Ain’t I a Woman?” which she presented at the Women’s Rights Convention in
Akron, Ohio in 1851. In this riveting, unique speech, Truth probed why women
are viewed as inferior to men. She declared that she is able to do as much work
as a man: she could carry as much, mow as much, cut as much, eat as much. Truth
challenged men, such as when she said, “You need not be afraid to give us our
rights for fear we will take too much… The poor men seem to be all in
confusion, and don’t know what to do.”[5]
This forceful speech left an imprint on those who sat in the audience, who were
in awe of Truth’s passion and strength. The unique perspective that she was
able to give as an African-American woman and a former slave captivated those
in attendance.
Another event that Truth is most
renowned for was when she won a court case against a white male in 1828, making
her one of the first black women to have accomplished such a feat. This case
was for the custody and freedom of her son Peter, who was illegally sold as a
slave to another slave owner who abused him viciously[6].
This accomplishment, along with the many other experiences that Truth
underwent since her escape from slavery led her to find God. This was the point
in time where she made the decision to reestablish herself, and in 1843 she
changed her name from Isabella to a name that she felt was more suitable,
Sojourner Truth, which means “traveler.” She became a devoted Christian and
began traveling and speaking about women’s rights and abolition.
Sojourner Truth’s life is one that
was led by her perseverance and her dedication to what she felt that God was
calling her to do. She dedicated her life, her experiences, and her wisdom to
the human rights movement in an effort to ensure equality between genders and
races. Truth resisted and fought oppression on all fronts for her whole entire
life. The impact and progress she made for human rights has contributed to the
point we are at today: where all races and genders are provided with education,
where all races and genders are able to vote, and where great strides have been
made to eradicate prejudice and racism from our society.
 |
| Portrait of Sojourner Truth. Unknown Photographer. Gladstone Collection. 1864. |
[2] Washington, Margaret.
"Going 'Where They Dare Not Follow': Race, Religion, And Sojourner Truth's
Early Interracial Reform." The Journal of African American History 1 (2013):
48. General OneFile. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.
[3] Gilbert, Olive, and
Sojourner Truth. Narrative of Sojourner Truth. Champaign, Ill: Project
Gutenberg, 2000. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 11 Feb. 2017.
[4] “Sojourner Truth.”
Available Means: An Anthology of Women’s Rhetoric(s). Eds. Joy Ritchie and Kate
Ronald. U of Pittsburgh P, 2001. 143-46.
[5] Baym, Nina, and Robert S.
Levine. The Norton anthology of American literature. 8th ed. New York: W.W.
Norton & Company, 2013. Print.
[6] Washington, Margaret.
"Going 'Where They Dare Not Follow': Race, Religion, And Sojourner Truth's
Early Interracial Reform." The Journal of African American History 1 (2013):
48. General OneFile. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.
