Contents
Sojourner Truth
Campaigning against slavery and for women’s rights after escaping enslavement.
Narrative of Sojourner Truth · Women’s-rights address
- Born
- c. 1797
- Birthplace
- Swartekill, New York, United States
- Died
- 26 November 1883
More people
Sojourner Truth
An American speaker whose life connected abolition, religious conviction and women’s political rights. She challenged exclusion both through public speeches and direct action.
Early life
Enslaved childhood
Born Isabella Bomefree in New York; Dutch was her first language.
Escape
Left slavery with her infant daughter in 1826.
Career
- 1828
Recovers her son
Successfully used the courts to recover a son illegally sold into slavery in Alabama.
- 1843
New name and mission
Adopted the name Sojourner Truth and became an itinerant preacher.
- 1851
Akron speech
Addressed an Ohio women’s-rights convention.
- Civil War era
Abolition and relief
Supported Black troops and assistance for formerly enslaved people.
Campaigns & writing
Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Dictated an account of her life to Olive Gilbert.
Women’s-rights address
Challenged assumptions about race, womanhood and equality.
Land campaign
Advocated land and support for formerly enslaved people.
Beyond work
Photographic fundraising
Sold portraits to support her work.
Speech history
The familiar Ain’t I a Woman? wording comes from a later account; surviving versions differ substantially.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗National Park Service: life and speech versions ↗Photo: Randall Studio. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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