Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth(~1797- November 26, 1883)

The woman we know as Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York as Isabella Baumfree (after her father´s owner, Baumfree). She was one of 13 children born to Elizabeth and James Baumfree, also slaves on the Hardenbergh plantation. She spoke only Dutch until she was sold from her family around the age of nine. Because of the cruel treatment she suffered at the hands of a later master, she learned to speak English quickly, but had a Dutch accent for the rest of her life.She was sold several times. While owned by the John Dumont family in Ulster County, who forced her to marry Thomas, another of Dumont´s slaves, she had five children. In 1827, New York law emancipated all slaves, but Isabella had already left her husband and run away, with her youngest child. She went to work for the Quaker family of Isaac Van Wagenen.

While working for the Van Wagenen´s -- whose name she used briefly -- she discovered that a member of the Dumont family had sold one of her children to slavery in Alabama. Since this son had been emancipated under New York Law, Isabella sued in court and won his return.

Isabella experienced a religious conversion, moved to New York City and to a Methodist perfectionist commune, and there came under the influence of a religious prophet named Mathias. The commune fell apart a few years later, with allegations of sexual improprieties and even murder. Isabella herself was accused of poisoning, and sued successfully for libel. She continued as well during that time to work as a household servant.

She met President Lincoln and raised money for clothes for the soldiers. While in New York she tried to integrate street cars and trains that were segregated by race.

After the War ended, Sojourner Truth again spoke widely, her best known speech: “Ain´t I a Woman?” She advocated for some time a “Negro State” in the west. She tried to get Congress to give former slaves free land in the West. She spoke mainly to white audiences, and mostly on religion, “Negro State” and women´s rights, and on temperance, though immediately after the Civil War she tried to organize efforts to provide jobs for black refugees from the war. She met Harriet Beecher who wrote about her in the Atlantic Monthly.

Active until 1875, when her grandson and companion fell ill, Sojourner Truth returned to Michigan where she died in 1883 and was buried in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Source: http://womenshistory.about.com

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