Born to the name Isabella, Sojourner Truth is an amazing contribution to African - American and woman’s history. Sojourner Truth was born a slave sometime around 1797 and died November 26, 1882. Sojourner Truth was born a slave in Ulster County, New York. Truth was promised, by her owner that he would free her, as she counted down the days to her freedom she came to realize that the only way she was going to be a free women was if she ran away. Sojourner did just that she ran away with her new born baby girl, Sophia and left her husband behind.
Like many other slaves Sojourner did not receive an education, therefore leaving her unable to read or write once a free woman. Truth didn’t allow this to be an excuse in her life, shortly after gaining her freedom and with the help of a lawyer truth become the first African American to take a white man to court and win. She sued for the custody of her son who had been illegally sold into slavery.
Throughout Truth’s life she was an abolitionist, minister and feminist she made many speeches. Her most well know is her powerful speech Ain't a Women that she delivered May 28, 1851 at a woman’s convention in Akron, Ohio that was turned in a poem. Although the speech has had a lasting impression and is still used today to empower women of all different social classes and ethnicities it is just one of the many speeches she deviled in her life time. Two years later Sojourner Truth gave another speech September 15, 1853 at a Congregational church in Williamsburg, New York. Truth expresses her belief that she is a sinner and that God died for her and because he died so that she could live she not only has a mental but a spiral will to God to stand up and fight for rights of all people. Her dedicated belief inspired her to change her name at the age 36 from Isabella to Sojourner Truth because Sojourner means traveler and truth means being real are genuine. Truth felt that God gave her the mission to tell people the truth about women’s rights and slavery, and educate the country.
As well as making numerous amounts of speeches Sojourner kept very impressive company such as President Grant and President Lincoln. During this time in history it was very outside of the social norm for a women to be as important as to visited these Presidents in the white house, but what made it extraordinary was that she was and uneducated former African – American slave.
Sojourner broke so many social norms trough out her life and created lasting effects on history. Without her construction through her empowering speeches and determination to make changes for the equality of woman and African American many people may not have stood up and voice their disapproval of the way the government and society treated people that don’t fall in to the “norm”.
Like many other slaves Sojourner did not receive an education, therefore leaving her unable to read or write once a free woman. Truth didn’t allow this to be an excuse in her life, shortly after gaining her freedom and with the help of a lawyer truth become the first African American to take a white man to court and win. She sued for the custody of her son who had been illegally sold into slavery.
Throughout Truth’s life she was an abolitionist, minister and feminist she made many speeches. Her most well know is her powerful speech Ain't a Women that she delivered May 28, 1851 at a woman’s convention in Akron, Ohio that was turned in a poem. Although the speech has had a lasting impression and is still used today to empower women of all different social classes and ethnicities it is just one of the many speeches she deviled in her life time. Two years later Sojourner Truth gave another speech September 15, 1853 at a Congregational church in Williamsburg, New York. Truth expresses her belief that she is a sinner and that God died for her and because he died so that she could live she not only has a mental but a spiral will to God to stand up and fight for rights of all people. Her dedicated belief inspired her to change her name at the age 36 from Isabella to Sojourner Truth because Sojourner means traveler and truth means being real are genuine. Truth felt that God gave her the mission to tell people the truth about women’s rights and slavery, and educate the country.
As well as making numerous amounts of speeches Sojourner kept very impressive company such as President Grant and President Lincoln. During this time in history it was very outside of the social norm for a women to be as important as to visited these Presidents in the white house, but what made it extraordinary was that she was and uneducated former African – American slave.
Sojourner broke so many social norms trough out her life and created lasting effects on history. Without her construction through her empowering speeches and determination to make changes for the equality of woman and African American many people may not have stood up and voice their disapproval of the way the government and society treated people that don’t fall in to the “norm”.