Sojourner Truth African American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Country: USA

Biography of Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist, was born on June 1, 1843. She was born as Isabella in a family of James and Elizabeth Baumfree. Her father, James Baumfree, was originally from Ghana, while her mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of enslaved people from Guinea. Isabella was one of the "ten or twelve" children in her family.

When Colonel Hardenbergh, the owner of Isabella's parents, passed away, the estate was inherited by his son, Charles Hardenbergh. After Charles also died in 1806, Isabella was sold at an auction when she was nine years old. John Neely purchased her for 100 dollars, and she came with a small flock of sheep. Neely was a cruel owner, and Isabella endured regular beatings.

In 1808, John Neely sold Isabella to Martinus Schryver for 105 dollars. After 18 months, Schryver sold her to John Dumont for 175 dollars. Dumont, compared to her previous owners, was relatively kind, but his wife made up for it with her cruelty. In 1815, Isabella met and fell in love with another enslaved person named Robert, who worked on a neighboring farm. However, their relationship was not approved by Robert's owner, and he was severely beaten and died from his injuries.

In 1817, Isabella was forced by her owner to marry another enslaved man named Thomas, who was older than her. They had three children together. In 1827, the state of New York started discussing a law for the emancipation of enslaved people, but it was not enacted until 1827. Before the law was passed, Dumont promised Isabella her freedom in exchange for good and faithful service, but he did not keep his promise.

Frustrated with Dumont's broken promise, Isabella decided to escape with her daughter in 1826. She found a new home with Isaac and Maria Van Wagener, who not only accepted her and her child but also bought her freedom from Dumont. Isabella lived with the Van Wageners until the emancipation law was passed.

In 1839, Isabella's son Peter went to work on a whaling ship and disappeared in 1842. She never learned of his fate. On June 1, 1843, Isabella officially changed her name to Sojourner Truth, joined the Methodist Church, and began traveling and preaching. In 1844, she became a member of the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, an abolitionist movement that also advocated for gender equality, religious tolerance, and peace. Unfortunately, the association dissolved in 1846 without creating a self-sufficient community.

In 1851, Sojourner Truth met the renowned orator and abolitionist George Thompson. During the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in May of that year, she delivered her famous speech titled "Ain't I a Woman?" Throughout the next ten years, Sojourner Truth continued to speak in public, working with Marius Robinson, the editor of the "Ohio Anti-Slavery Bugle" from 1851 to 1853.

In 1858, an accusation was made against Sojourner Truth, claiming she was actually a man. She quickly disproved the accusation by revealing her bare chest. In 1857, she sold her house in Northampton and moved to Harmonia, Michigan. During the Civil War, she actively recruited African-American soldiers for the Union Army and had the opportunity to meet President Abraham Lincoln in October 1864.

In 1870, Sojourner Truth began advocating for a law to protect the land rights of formerly enslaved people. She fought for this law for seven years but was unsuccessful. In 1872, she attempted to vote in the presidential election but was turned away from the polling place.

Sojourner Truth continued to deliver speeches on various topics, including the abolition of slavery, women's rights, and prison reform. She had both supporters and opponents. She passed away on November 26, 1883, at her home in Battle Creek, Michigan, at the age of approximately 86.