Sojourner Truth was an African American woman born in 1797 in Ulster County, New York. Born a slave, she was sold four times, and she was subjected to unfair treatment by her owners, separation from her family, and tiring labor. In her adulthood, Sojourner Truth had several spiritual awakenings that motivated her to engage in religious services like attending camp meetings, where she met other leaders who led her to the road of abolitionism and justice. Although she was illiterate, Sojourner had great intelligence, and she inspired countless people by delivering speeches for 30 years and publishing her autobiography. Sojourner Truth fought for her freedom from the oppression of slavery and transformed into a significant leader who influenced others religiously and advocated for women’s rights and African American rights. 

Sojourner Truth was born in a period when transformations of technology and economy took place in the United States. The country’s economy grew drastically with the emergence of the market revolution and the important invention of the cotton gin. Cotton gins led to the high production and harvests of cotton, which increased the demand for slavery because more enslaved people were needed to work on plantations. In the pre-Civil War era, slavery thrived in the United States, especially in the South. Although the North gradually enacted emancipation laws compared to the everlasting institution of slavery in the South, Sojourner Truth experienced injustice like physical abuse from her owners. Her determination to escape her sufferings and her faith in God drove her to become a successful abolitionist and activist. 

Sojourner Truth was first given the name Isabella Baumfree by her parents James and Elizabeth Baumfree. During her childhood, Isabella lived in an estate owned by Colonel Johannes Ardinbergh in Esopus, New York with her family. After Johannes’s death, Isabella and her family then became the property of Charles Ardinbergh, Johannes’s son. While Isabella was enslaved by Charles Ardinbergh, she lived in a cellar built by her master. In her narrative, Isabella recalled that the cellar was dimly lit with barely any sunlight. All the slaves owned by Charles Ardinbergh slept in the same room on damp boards with straws and one blanket.

During Isabella’s childhood, she was influenced by her mother’s religious beliefs. When Isabella’s mother finished working at night, she would teach her children about the only Being that could help and protect them. She taught them, “My children, there is a God, who hears and sees you…and when you are beaten, or cruelly treated, or fall into any trouble, you must ask help of him, and he will always hear and help you.” She also taught them the Lord’s prayer and instructed them to refrain from dishonesty. Isabella was immersed in a religious environment early on, which was one of the reasons that led to her religious awakenings in her adulthood.

Around the age of 9, Isabella was sold with a herd of sheep to John Neely, a storeowner nearby Ardinbergh’s estate, for $100. The auction separated Isabella from her parents, and Isabella claimed that “Now the war begun.” Previously enslaved by Dutch settlers, Isabella’s first language was Dutch, but the Neelys spoke English. Due to the difficulties of communication, Isabella was violently beaten by John Neely, and she was constantly whipped until her wounds bled. 

In 1810, Isabella was sold to John Dumont, and she stayed on his property in New Paltz for around seventeen years. Although John Dumont provided her stability in her life, she received poor treatment and harassment from Dumont and his wife. While she was at the Dumonts, Isabella had five children with an enslaved man from a neighboring farm.

In 1799, a law for gradual emancipation was passed in the state of New York, marking the first legislative law that allowed the freedom of slave children who were born after July 4, 1799. However, emancipation was not immediate. Enslaved women had to wait until they turned 25 years old and men had to wait until they turned 28 to gain their freedom. The purpose of the law was to prevent turmoil among slave owners. The second emancipation law was passed in New York in 1817. The Gradual Emancipation Law of 1817 stated that all slaves born before July 4, 1799, would be freed on July 4, 1827. John Dumont promised Sojourner that he would free her prior to July 4, 1827; however, he changed his decision a year earlier. He refused to grant Isabella her freedom because, in the year 1826, Isabella injured her hand, and John Dumont claimed that she was less useful and productive than usual. Therefore, he wanted her to make up for the labor he claimed Isabella lacked. Although Isabella pleaded that she still worked all the time with her injury, John Dumont was inflexible and would not agree to give her freedom. Isabella thought John Dumont’s dishonesty was intolerable, so she decided to leave him and set herself free by escaping.

Isabella’s religion influences her life, and her belief helped her make crucial decisions. Upon leaving, Isabella told God that she did not know when would be a good time to escape because she was too afraid to leave at night, and in the daytime, she would be exposed. Then the idea of leaving at dawn came to her, which she believed was a sign directly from God. Therefore, she left John Dumont’s house with her infant daughter in the early morning. Isabella took refuge at Mr. and Mrs. Van Wagener’s place, whom she knew previously. As Quakers, the Van Wageners did not believe in slavery or the practice of buying slaves. However, to protect Isabella and her daughter, Mr. Van Wagener purchased Isabella and her child for twenty dollars and five dollars respectively from John Dumont. The Van Wageners were Isabella’s last owners, and she would gain freedom on July 4, 1827. The Van Wageners showed generosity to Isabella, and she deemed them as “undoubtedly a portion of God's nobility.” 

Before leaving the Dumonts, Isabella’s son, Peter, was illegally sold to Dr. Gedney by John Dumont without Isabella knowing. Dr. Gedney tried to bring Peter to England, but he was too young for the journey. Therefore, Peter remained in New York to stay with Dr. Gedney’s brother, Solomon Gedney. Solomon Gedney then left Peter to his sister’s husband, a wealthy planter, who brought Peter down to Alabama. The transaction was illegal because an early law of New York established in 1788 stated that the sale of slaves outside the state was prohibited. Isabella was furious when she learned this news, and she was determined to get her son back. She filed a lawsuit at the courthouse in Kingston, the Seat of Ulster County, with the help of the Van Wageners. After visiting the court multiple times to urge the lawyers to speed up the process of the lawsuit, the court eventually obeyed the sentence to return Peter to Isabella, “having no other master, no other controller, no other conductor, but his mother.” Isabella’s success in gaining custody of Peter was a historical moment because she was the first black woman to sue a white man in court and win the case.  

In the early nineteenth century, the Second Great Awakening helped spread Methodism as thousands of unchurched people, including many southern slaves and poor whites were attracted by this religious revival. As a young, poor, and enthusiastic individual, Isabella also shifted towards Methodism. In 1828, Isabella moved to New York City with Peter and Mr. and Miss Grear, who were Methodist perfectionists. Because Isabella brought the ticket that proved her conversion to Methodism, she was admitted to the John Street Methodist Church. The ticket allowed Isabella to find a Methodist community in the vast society of New York City. Isabella belonged to the segregated black class meeting of the community. The John Street Methodist Church was predominately white, and racism was common there, so Isabella soon switched to the Zion African Church. The Zion African Church was led by Methodist Peter Williams, and black congregations were held there, allowing Isabella to find family and fellowship.

Moreover, Isabella’s travel companion, Miss Grear, introduced Isabella to a group of her friends, among which Isabella met the La Tourettes, who were Christians, and Isabella stayed with them from 1828 to 1832. Along with the La Tourettes, she participated in camp meetings around the city with them. Isabella frequently preached during camp meetings, and she found her gift for public speaking. The La Tourettes complimented Isabella that “she was remarkable for bringing about conversions.” She even outdrew the Methodist itinerant John Newland Maffitt, a highly charismatic preacher in the nineteenth century. The camp meetings also gave Isabella the opportunity to meet Elijah Pierson, the leader of the Holy Club. Pierson greatly influenced evangelical activities in New York City, which were the preachings of Christianity. Isabella’s experiences in New York City created a foundation for her religious engagement in the future. 

A transformational moment occurred for Isabella in 1843. She heard a voice summoning her to travel around the United States and preach the truth, which led her to decide to leave the city.  She claimed that “The Spirit calls me there, and I must go.” Moreover, Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth. “Sojourner” conveyed the meaning of a person in a temporary home, and “Truth” carried her thought to declare the truth to people. For months, Truth was wandering around, exploring places like Long Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. During her journey, she encountered various religious groups. She met the Millerites, who were the followers of William Miller, a preacher and farmer who believed that the second advent of Jesus Christ would happen in 1843. Sojourner rejected the Millerites due to differences in beliefs. Truth considered becoming a member of the Shakers, a Christian group that believed in a direct relationship with God and that men and women were equal. Truth also thought about joining Fruitlands, a utopian community in Harvard, Massachusetts.

Eventually, Truth chose to live at the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, a utopian colony founded by abolitionists. The Northampton Association provided intellectual enrichment to the members while running a silk factory. Sojourner Truth was influenced to become an abolitionist and activist as the Northampton Association promoted women’s rights, antislavery, and pacifism. The members of the commune received education by having lectures from prominent American reformers like William Lloyd Garrison, David Ruggles, and Frederick Douglass. The Association also focused on physical comfort. For instance, the members took baths in the river. 

In 1844, Sojourner participated in another camp meeting as the itinerant preacher in Northampton, Massachusetts, in which she played an important role. During the camp meeting, a group of young men was making disturbing noises and threatening to burn the tents down, which caused fear and commotion among the crowd. As the only black person present, Sojourner felt vulnerable. However, she told herself that God shall protect her if she rescued the crowd from the troublesome rioters. Driven by courage and her trust in God, she went on stage and began to sing “with all the strength of her most powerful voice, the hymn on the resurrection of Christ.” Eventually, Sojourner was able to convince the rioters to leave. Her bravery and devotion to God were examples for the attendees at the camp meeting. 

In 1850, Sojourner Truth became involved with the women's rights movement. She met and befriended feminists like Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton and joined them in pursuing voting rights for all women. During the first national convention for women’s rights in Worcester, Massachusetts on October 23, 1850, Sojourner was the only black female speaker. In the convention with around 1,000 suffragists, Sojourner Truth urged the white suffragists to consider granting black enslaved women voting and property rights. In the same year, Sojourner published her autobiography called Narrative of Sojourner Truth, with help from Olive Gilbert. The autobiography was recognized nationwide.   

Moreover, Sojourner participated in the Ohio Woman’s Rights Convention in the Stone Church in Akron on May 28, 1851. She gave a powerful speech called “Ain’t I a Woman?”, which was one of the most influential speeches about social injustice in American history. Although there are different versions of the transcript of the speech, Sojourner’s main point was that women deserve equal rights and chances as men do. To emphasize that women should be treated fairly, she also claimed, “And how came Jesus into the world? Through God who created him and woman who bore him.” Sojourner’s friend Marius Robinson praised her for her “powerful form, her whole-souled, earnest gestures… and her strong and truthful tones.” Sojourner’s eloquence allowed her to effectively share her ideas and voice with the public and influence the audience. 

Sojourner’s leadership was also reflected in her role as an activist for African American rights. During the Civil War, Sojourner recruited blacks for the Bureau of Colored Troops of the Union Army. She also collected necessities like food, blankets, and clothes for the black soldiers. On October 29, 1864, she met President Abraham Lincoln and discussed with him the segregation of African Americans. During her visitation, President Lincoln showed her the Bible given by the African Americans in Baltimore, and the significant moment was painted by Franklin C. Courter. In the painting, Sojourner sits on a chair with President Lincoln standing next to her and flipping through the pages of the Bible in front of them. Sojourner Truth commented that the Bible was beautiful. The portrait depicts a serious and empowering scene, where President Lincoln and Sojourner Truth showed mutual respect. 

At the end of the Civil War, Sojourner worked with the Freedmen’s Bureau in Washington, D.C.. The Freedmen’s Bureau aided blacks from slave states and provided them with free medical care. Sojourner Truth’s jobs in Freedmen’s Bureau included teaching domestic skills, distributing supplies, or any work that she was called upon to do. As an abolitionist, Sojourner continued to deliver public speeches about African American rights. 

Sojourner Truth’s courage, determination, and devotion to God made her an outstanding leader in fighting for social justice. Although she was enslaved since she was born, Sojourner Truth unshackled herself from slavery and was driven to help others with similar hardships. By sharing her voice as an itinerant and preacher, Sojourner promoted spiritual beliefs and helped others find their communities. Her persistent effort in advocating for woman’s rights made her an admirable leader whose legacy continues to this day.