United States
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Sojourner Truth
Swartekill, Ulster County, New York, United States
Archival Overview
Pioneering African American abolitionist and women's rights advocate whose fiery rhetoric and celebrated 1851 'Ain't I a Woman?' speech forged an indissoluble link between racial emancipation and gender equality.
Biographical Record
Sojourner Truth (born Isabella Baumfree, c. 1797 – 1883) was an African American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Born into Dutch-speaking slavery in upstate New York, she escaped to freedom with her infant daughter in 1826, shortly before the state's emancipation law took effect.
She became the first Black woman to win a court case against a white man when she successfully sued to recover her five-year-old son who had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. In 1843, she adopted the name Sojourner Truth, dedicating her life to traveling and testifying for the abolition of slavery, universal voting rights, prison reform, and women's civil equality. Her spontaneous speech at the 1851 Ohio Women's Rights Convention, known as 'Ain't I a Woman?', remains one of the most famous feminist texts in world history.
Key Life Milestones
Historic Legal Victory for Her Son
Became the first Black mother in the United States to successfully sue a white slaveholder to free her enslaved son.
The 'Ain't I a Woman?' Speech
Delivered her celebrated address at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio, refuting claims of female fragility.
Memorial Guestbook & Tributes
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Final Resting Place
Perpetual MemorialBattle Creek, Michigan, United States