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The Truth about Sojourner Truth
By: Antone Washington
Historical Paper
Junior Division
Word Count: 1837
The Truth about Sojourner Truth
“Because of them I can now live the dream. I am the seed of the free and I know it. I intend to bear great fruit.”-Sojourner Truth.
According to The Great Women of the Suffrage Movement, Isabella Baumfree was born in Syracuse,New York c.1797. She was the second youngest of a family of 10-12 children. Her parents James Baumfree, and Elizabeth “Mau-Bett” Baumfree had been working for their Dutch slave owner during the time in which all of their children were born. Quaker? Sojourner Truth's first owner first John Van Wagener declared himself a Quaker but was one of the many slave owners who tortured and beat Sojourner. As Sojourner’s life went on and she accepted God as her savior she herself became a Quaker and fought through her infectious words influencing the people of the world that owning another human being is abhorrent and that everyone should have rights Black and White, Man or Woman. Since Isabella's first owner was Dutch,she spoke only Dutch until the age of 9. When Isabella’s owner died in 1806 she was put up for auction.For the next few years she moved from owner to owner. Eventually she was bought by American owners in 1810.
According to The Great Women of the Suffrage Movement, from the beginning of her life Sojourner had been a strong whole-hearted woman. In her early years she was treated as human property and sold with sheep and cattle at many auctions. Isabella (I.e Sojourner) like many other slaves never learned to read or write, but that never stopped her. As a young girl Sojourner Truth was bought by a slave owner named John Dumont.She had five children with the slave Dumont chose to be her husband. Many were sold to different owners. Sojourner later sued Dumont because he had illegally sold her child, Peter, out of state. She was the first black woman to sue a white man in court. She won the case. Isabella had five children. She went on to take care of her children while touring the United States, giving lectures of why everyone is born and will die the same way: Human beings. With beating hearts. Bleeding red blood. Showing that all men and women are equal.
According to The Great Women of the Suffrage Movement, “Isabella Baumfree moved to New York City in 1828, when she arrived she worked as a house servant. In 1843 she heard a voice that told her to sojourn, or journey across the land as a preacher(Sojourner Truth).” She later renamed herself Sojourner Truth. She said “The lord gave me truth, because I was to declare truth unto the people”.
As time passed on the newly named Sojourner Truth traveled the country preaching at churches, camp meetings, and on streets. She spoke against slavery and later on she spoke for women's rights. Her reputation grew quickly allowing her strong words to travel fast and far.
According to “Sojourner Truth”( youtube video),Although Sojourner was escalating throughout the world of abolitionist, and freedom fighters she was still black, a woman, and a former longtime slave so there was always more dumped on her for fighting for rights. This came even from fellow african-americans. The hatred was very prevalent and harsh. People thought that since Sojourner was a former slave and since she was black that she had no right to even fight for rights. They thought that it was utterly irrelevant because no one would listen to a black person, especially a former slave of 30 years. No one ever brought Sojourner down.She prayed to God to help the people who hated her and that love and strength would fulfill their bodies. Sojourner believed that if a person really felt the greatness of God and if they really believed in him that they would listen to even a black woman who lived and breathed for him.
“There is a big stir about colored men getting their rights, but not a word about the colored women. The colored men will be masters over the women & it will be just as bad as it was before.”- Sojourner Truth.
No matter what Sojourner never let a man determine what path her life would take her down; she left that to God. In the mid 1860’s at age 69 Sojourner filed a lawsuit saying that black people should and will be allowed to ride public transportation just as the white people did. She also won this case.
“I feel safe in the midst of my enemies, for the truth is all powerful and will prevail.”- Sojourner Truth.
After over 30 years of giving local and national lectures and speeches Sojourner made a book. Narrative of Sojourner Truth, A northern Slave. It was ghost written, which means someone else wrote her words. Since she never learned to write. In 1850 the book was published and she sold copies for 25 cents. She lived off the proceeds.
“Den dat little man in da black car, he say women can't have such rights as men, cause christ himself wasn't a woman”- Sojourner Truth.
Sojourner Truth was a very powerful speaker,a large woman at 6ft tall. In 1851 at a woman’s rights convention men were screaming and shouting slurs about how “Women should be in the house, not in a meeting about rights.” At that time Truth gave her most famous speech “Ain’t I a Woman?” In the speech, she preached about how any woman can have just as much strength and power as men if society would allow, and accept it. She demanded that poor and working women should be given their due.In the book American Heroes, Sojourner said “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?”(Delano).
Also found in the book, Sojourners preaching was described. “When Sojourner Truth Preached, she electrified her audiences with her strong belief in god’s goodness and her passionate opposition to slavery. Her strong words inspired many people to join the abolitionist movement.”(Delano). Truth supported herself financially by her books and spiritually by her lectures.
“The Mind is what makes the body”-Sojourner Truth.
“I was Isabella born,
Children, hear my cry,
And I was child to scalding scorn,
Children, hear my cry,
Hold on jesus, Ain’t I a woman?
Tell the children, let them hear my cry.
Mister dumont bought me cheap,
Children, hear my cry
Well Mister Dumont tracked me down,
Children, Hear my cry,
He Sworn he’d whip me through town
Children, hear my cry
They took my child away from me,
Children, hear my cry,
Said Peter disappeared at sea,
Children, hear my cry,
I go on preaching freedoms fire,
Children, hear my cry
It ain’t for sale and it Ain’t for hire,
Children, hear me cry.”
-”Ain't I A Woman?”,The hymn,”Freedom Like Sunlight”.
Sojourner Truth truly was an inspirational soul. With the words of “Ain’t I a Woman” she even had clergymen applauding her. Sojourner truth fought through all of her fears, she pushed through to help the black men and women, and all women america. She fought against slavery, she fought for women's rights. Never once taking herself into consideration.
According to American Heroes On october 29th 1864 Sojourner Truth got noticed by President Abraham Lincoln and went to meet him at the White House. During the time of their meeting, Sojourner admitted that before he took his place in the oval office she had never known of him. President Lincoln responded saying that he knew of her work ages before he was even in the oval office. The two of them meeting was two freedom fighters showing mutual respect and admiration, surpassing social class and gender lines.
Isabella Baumfree, Sojourner Truth, or Belle. All names for a Confident,strong, and courageous woman. Names for a black woman. A woman who was a great American. A woman who set out. A woman who spoke up. A woman who stood tall. A woman who fought hard. A woman who truly dared to dream a great dream
“I am not going to die. I am going home like a shooting star.The truth is powerful and it prevails. Religion without humanity is very poor human stuff.”-Sojourner Truth.
Days before Sojourner passed a reporter from the Grand Rapids Eagle came to interview her. She was suffering great pain. Her eyes very bright and her facial expressions still very alert. Sojourner died days later on November 26th 1883. Her funeral was held at the “Congregational-Presbyterian Church”. Sojourner Truth’s funeral had over 1,000 attendees all there to celebrate the life of the admirable Sojourner Truth.
Born Isabella. Died Sojourner. A popular figure during the African-American Emancipation movement, and a advocate for women's rights during her life Sojourner was a precious historical figure and symbol for equality for all. Although
She was an illiterate slave, she rose to great acclaim. Sojourner made a powerful persona for herself as a women's suffragist, and a black rights crusader.
She never learned to read or write. She was an ex slave. She was a black woman. These were very large obstacle that would stop the majority people from doing big things in life. An obstacle that would stop people from taking a stand. It did not stop Sojourner. She was loved and respected for her self taught kindness, wisdom , and intelligence. To be a great person, to be yourself you have to stand up for what you believe in no matter what obstacles are in your way. That's exactly what Sojourner did. She took the world up by its hand and showed it what she had to offer. Everyone didn't agree with her. The whole world will never agree with one person, but she passed through life like a shooting star leaving a trail of gold, and silver. Leaving a trail of love. A trail of wisdom. A trail of kindness. A trail Intelligence. Leaving a trail of history.
“Those are the same stars, and that is the same moon, that look down upon your brothers and sisters, and which they see as they look up to them, though they are ever so far away from us, and each other.”-Sojourner Truth.
Sojourner Truth, activist, slave, suffragist, orator, abolitionist, christian, large negroe woman. There are an interminable amount of words to describe the woman who fought the war of life for not herself, but for others. Overall no matter what, Sojourner Truth never gave up.
Giving up. It's an elemental obstacle that is always waiting in the corner, but Sojourner just ignored it like it wasn't a possibility. Attitudes like Sojourner’s, filled with valor, infatuation, and benevolence are the kind of attitudes that make differences. Life changing differences. The kind of differences that Mrs.Sojourner Truth made.
“Christ came from God and a woman, man had nothing to do with it”-Sojourner Truth.
Annotated Bibliography
Primary Sources
Books
Delano, Marfe Ferguson.
"A New Birth Of Freedom, Civil War and Reconstruction, 1848-1877." American Heroes. Washington, DC: National Geographic, 2005. 1-191. Print.
In the book “ American Heroes” it showed Sojourner Truth's life through a timeline going step by step of every major event that happens to her from her birth to death. Next to the timeline the was large paragraphs describing Sojourners life.The book also showed almost unknown facts about Sojourner Truth's life. I cited the most from this book because it had the most helpful information.
Canfield, Jack.
"Ain't I a Woman? Sojourner Truth (1997-1883)." Chicken Soup for the African American Soul: Celebrating and Sharing Our Culture One Story at a Time. Cos Cob, CT: Backlist LLC, a Unit of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, 2012. 1-382. Print.
In the Book “Chicken Soup For the African American Soul”, there is the astonishing “Ain't I a Woman?” speech. The speech is one of the most known aspects of Sojourner Truth. In the book the speech was word for word from Sojourner Truth herself. It showed how she stood up above all obstacles.
Lewis, J. Patrick, and John Thompson.
"Aint I a Woman?: Sojourner Truth." Freedom like Sunlight: Praise Songs for Black Americans. Mankato, MN: Creative Paperbacks, 2013. 1-37. Print.
In the book “Freedom like Sunlight” there was the hymn version of what is called “Ain’t I a Woman”. In the hymn it narrating Sojourner as she tries to run away from he longtime slave owner “Master Dumont”. It also narrates as he lies about selling her son peter, and much more. This book was very fun to read and use because the content that was in it. I was very obtuse to and it was odd.
Rau, Dana Meachen.
"Sojourner Truth: Woman of God." Great Women of the Suffrage Movement. Minneapolis: Compass Point, 2006. 1-48. Print.
In the book “Great Women of the Suffrage Movement” it stated information of Sojourners life before she was Sojourner. It showed her life as Isabella Baumfree. In the book it showed how as her life moved along how she gained access to the top and fought for not only the fight of slavery, but also for women's rights. I didnt cite much from this book but it was still very helpful.
Videos
"Sojourner Truth." YouTube. YouTube, 14 July 2016. Web. 05 Mar. 2017.
In this video a biographer speaks about Sojourner Truth. She describes her life from the eyes of a northern slave and clears up all false accusations that were created and passed throughout the years. For example that she was just a myth, or that she was Harriet Tubman. The video just sums up her life in just under an hour. This video was my main source of information on Sojourner Truth because the narrator was a biographer who wrote many biographies on Sojourner. The lady spoke of Sojourner and described her, and her life as if she herself were Sojourner.
Ellastock
"The Truth Awakens: One Woman's Journey from Slavery to Activism." YouTube, 08
Dec. 2016. Web. 05 Mar. 2017.
In this video the narrator does a quick run through of sojourners life as a young girl, up to death, and after.The video gives a very understandable explanation while going a rabbit speed. This wasn't the best video to use because of how fast it was, but I cited a lot from the video because it was very helpful.
Secondary Sources
Photographs, Posters, and Images
"Sojourner+truth - Google Search." Sojourner+truth - Google Search. Wikipedia, n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2017
This is a professionally taken picture of Sojourner. This picture help me in two ways. One I made a person connection to it from a story my grandfather told me. Two it really sums up all of the descriptions. From this picture you can really tell how tall, and black she really was.
"Sojourner+truth+poster - Google Search." Sojourner+truth+poster - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Mar. 2017
This poster is giving a quote from Sojourner Truth, with a cartoon picture of Sojourner rolling up her sleeves while reciting the “Ain't I A Woman?” speech. The first time I heard about the speech was from this picture it was very inspiring and I cited from this picture.
Women Pulling Women Up!: Ain't I a Woman! 2010. Pinterest. By Mira O'Connell. Web. 05 Mar. 2017. <
This is a true picture of one of Sojourner truth's many fliers that were put up/ around whenever she would be giving out lectures in a town. The Picture was very helpful to me because it is proof against conspiracies.
Websites
Schnall, Marianne .
"AIN'T I A WOMAN?" BY SOJOURNER TRUTH." "AIN'T I A WOMAN?" BY SOJOURNER TRUTH. N.p., 1995. Web. 04 Mar. 2017. <
On this website there is a article with the speech of “Ain’t I a Woman” with a brief runthrough of her history at the bottom. The website also includes quotes and videos. Since working with Sojourner Truth as a subject getting as much information as possible towards the “Ain't I a Woman” speech is essential.
History.com Staff. "Sojourner Truth."history.com A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 05 Mar. 2017.
On this website there is an article about Sojourner Truth. The article is a basic run through of her life, but the website gives extra fun facts and quotes. Besides the article there is a video starring Kerry Washington as she reads “Ain’t I a Woman” by Sojourner Truth.