Sojourner Truth was born in 1797 with the name Isabella Baumfree on the Hardenbergh plantation as a slave. Her native language was Dutch but quickly learned English after having been moved to a new master. Her new master beat hear repeatedly for miscommunication issues. These beatings caused her to turn to religion. In 1817 she was forced to marry a slave, Thomas, with whom she had four children between 1822 and 1826.
In 1799, New York, where Truth was being enslaved, gradually passed legislation that abolished slavery. After her owner remained un-loyal to a deal they had worked out Sojourner Truth “walked off, believing (it) to be all right” from the plantation into freedom. Then she worked aggressively to free her son from slavery. With the help of Quakers she retrieved her battered son after a month-long legal trial.
After she gained custody of her son, Peter, she began preaching at a local Methodist church in 1829. From there she moved on to being a traveling preacher wandering westward with time. In 1850 she joined the anti-slavery movement and delivered a profound point of view on anti-slavery and women’s rights in her narrative. In 1854 she delivered her most moving speech at the Ohio Woman’s Rights Convention.
In 1857 she embraced yet another new lifestyle. She became increasingly involved in spiritual religious movements that favored abolition, women’s rights, non-violence, and spirituality. Ironically, during the civil war she spoke on behalf of the Union about enlisting black troops for the cause of freeing slave which conflicts with her non-violent beliefs. Sojourner Truth also campaigned further for the freedom of all slaves and aided newly freed slaves.
Sojourner Truth’s wellness started to decline in 1883. In July she had developed ulcers on her legs and sought medical treatment. Unfortunately, she passed away on November 26, 1883 at the age of 86 in Battle Creek, Michigan. She led a highly influential life as a public speaker. Truth’s efforts led to many slaves successfully starting new free lives and she also advanced the abolition movement greatly.
After her death she has been honored in multiple ways. A memorial stone is posted in the Stone History Tower on Monument Park in Battle Creek, Michigan. This stone was laid down in her memory in 1935. In 1946 a new grave marker was delivered by the Sojourner Truth Memorial Association. In 1961 a commemorative marker to her family that is buried with her was added. In 1976 a section of the Michigan state highway was dedicated in her memory. By 1983 she was inducted into the Woman’s Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, New York and Lansing. A 1986 postage stamp has her face on it. In 2008 a bust of her was erected inside the U.S. Capitol building, making her the first honored black woman in the Capitol.
