Sojourner Truth Research Paper

“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? (National Park Service- Sojourner Truth)... this small passage was taken from a speech that has been repeated throughout time. The woman who spoke these words was known as Sojourner Truth. Truth’s speeches about the equality between women and men gave not only a powerful message, but it also intensified her fight for women and civil rights. After being released from slavery, she made it her mission to fight for her vision of equality within gender and races. Truth goes on to speak at numerous conventions, helping African Americans rebuild their lives after slavery, and being an activist for change. Although, Sojourner
Truth isn’t well known, she should be credited with being a greater catalyst for this much-needed change than she has been historically.
Isabella Baumfree, Truth’s original name, was born into slavery.
Baumfree would be sold to numerous slave owners until 1827, when she eventually escaped with her youngest daughter in hand , a year before the abolition of slavery came to New York (Sojourner Truth- Biography). For the next several years, Baumfree becoming a well known activist didn’t happen as quickly. Shortly after her release, Baumfree discovered her son, Peter, was being illegally sold to a man in Alabama and would fight him in court and win. She would be the first african american women to win a court case against a slave owner in the United States. She eventually changes her name to Sojourner Truth. Sojourner, because ‘she would travel up and down the land, showing people their sins’ and Truth because the lord declared her ‘to tell the truth to the people’ (Where did Sojourner Truth get her
Name?).
In 1844, after changing her name, Truth joined the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, in Northham, Massachusetts (Sojourner Truth- Bio), founded by an abolitionist group who also supported women’s rights.
The organization unfortunately, disassembled two years later, but she would still pursue being an activist. She would tell a close friend about her life growing up in slavery and would turn it into her autobiography that would be published in that following year (Krass #). Truth, that same year would begin touring , speaking up on slavery and human rights, with a fellow abolitionist, George Thompson. In May of 1851, Truth spoke at a Convention in Ohio, where she spoke her famous ‘Ain’t I A Woman’ speech, and with positive feedback she would continue to tour Ohio for two years.
Truth up kept her good heart and reputation, when the Civil War had taken place. In Michigan, She would try to recruit black troops to help the Union, and also collect food and clothing for the black regiments (Sojourner Truth- History). In 1857, Truth continued to travel and speak on the rights of slaves and women and landed in Washington, DC, where she eventually met, President Lincoln. Her last project would be movement to secure land grants from the federal government for former slaves, but sadly couldn’t be
accomplished.
Sojourner Truth’s most important legacy is her tone, substance of her language and music (Sojourner Truth-History), but with such strong characteristics, Truth didn’t know how to read or write. She used passages from the bible to develop her a distinctive voice as an individual. Her short speeches were insightful, straight to the point, and her intimidating stage presence made the attending audience and speakers listen and observe. When surrounded by hatred and dislike for her beliefs, Truth used music as another way to share her story and just because she didn’t hear enough music at the conventions. (Sojourner Truth: A life led by Faith).
While there is uncertainty about the true power of god, Truth believed in him fully. Starting as early in her childhood, she was taught about the love and faithfulness of god:
“The Lord has made me a sign unto this nation, an’ I go round a’testifyin’ an’ showin’ on em their sins agin my people” (Sojourner Truth- Christian History) Being told by her mother, Truth believed that god would guide her at all places and times (Sojourner Truth: WItness of Truth). The belief of god traveled firmly into her adulthood and steadily throughout her speeches.
If not for her strong pursuit for change isn’t what got Truth to her fame, then her need to help others did. During 1861, the Emancipation Proclamation was taking effect and left a lot of newly freed slaves not knowing what to do. Truth tried recruiting black troops to fight for the Union, and even encouraged her grandson to join as well. When traveling to Washington, DC to contribute to the National Freedmen’s Relief Association, had the chance to meet the president and share her beliefs and experiences as an activist (Sojourner Truth- Bio.) While in DC, Truth had taken on a new challenge, to force the desegregation of streetcars, and led her one of her major projects of trying to secure land grants from the federal government, however was turned down by congress.
Sojourner Truth devoted her life volunteering for human rights, whether it be from her speeches or hands on experience to end slavery and gain women rights. Spending years Although, Sojourner Truth isn’t well known, she should be credited with being a greater catalyst for this much-needed change than she has been historically.