Isabella Bomfree was born around 1797 in Ulster County, New York, the home of Kingston, the first capital of the state and a center of Dutch culture and architecture. She was birthed into the harsh realities of slavery, separated from her family very early and sold multiple times. She was familiar with the trauma and brutality of enslavement and subjugation as her own children would be separated from her at times and one son would be sold to a slave owner in Alabama after he was captured as a fugitive slave and returned under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793.
It was due to the capture and sale of her son Peter that Isabella took on the institution of slavery and the fugitive slave act in a case titled Smedley Vs. Bailey, entered into the New York State Court of Appeals. She would win the case in 1829, guaranteeing her own freedom as well as the release of her son, Peter. Her precedent offered hope for other enslaved people seeking true emancipation. The separations from her children deeply affected Isabella, fueling her passion for abolition and social justice. Her personal experiences with loss and resilience became a powerful narrative in her life, highlighting the inhumanity of slavery and the urgent need for societal reform.
In the year 1843, Isabella would change her name to one consistent with her strong Christian beliefs. Her new designation would be Sojourner Truth. The term "Sojourner" refers to one who travels or resides temporarily in any given place. By choosing this name, she signified her commitment to traveling and spreading her message. She viewed herself as a pilgrim on a divine mission, to enlighten others about the injustices of slavery and the need for gender equality. The addition of "Truth" underscores her dedication to speaking the undeniable facts and realities of oppression faced by African Americans as well as women. Truth emphasized her role as a bearer of the gospel, challenging societal norms and exposing the moral failings of slavery and sexism. Take note that while most activists have one cause to champion, Mrs. Truth had multiple as she advocated for abolition as well as complete equality among black men and women and furthermore for ALL women’s rights.
In 1851, Sojourner offered the famous speech traditionally titled, “Ain’t I a Woman?”
“I have plowed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And
ain’t I a woman? I could work and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and
bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman?” (Excerpt)
She was a very popular keynote speaker and she became so influential that she met with President Andrew Johnson in order to discuss the wellbeing of former slaves. She played a large role in the passing of the 15th amendment, granting African Americans the right to vote. The fact that the vote was not extended to all women, black or white, did not go unnoticed and was a decision that she criticized until death. She also interacted with prominent abolitionists and suffragists like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Susan B. Anthony.
Sojourner Truth passed in 1883, in Battle Creek, Michigan. Her legacy of fighting for social justice and gender equality has lasted for more than 140 years. There can be no greater example of strength, resiliency, and dedication to truth. She possessed an innate ability to let her heart resonate in the hearts of diverse others. Her marvelous speeches and tireless activism gave a voice to marginalized groups and paved the way for future civil rights efforts, inspiring the likes of Martin Luther King, Roy Wilkins, Baynard Rustin, John Lewis and many more. By challenging the status quo and standing for the disenfranchised, Sojourner Truth was and is a bright ray of hope and a reminder to us all of the responsibility to fight for human dignity.
