by Trisha Smith
Name:
Isabella Baumfree, later known as Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
Quote:
The Lord gave me ‘Sojourner,’ because I was to travel up an’ down the land, showin’ the people their sins an’ bein’ a sign unto them. Afterwards, I told the Lord I wanted another name ’cause everybody else had two names, and the Lord gave me ‘Truth,’ because I was to declare the truth to people.'”
Family:
Husband – Thomas Harvey, another slave. She had 13 children total, most of which were sold. One child, Peter, was sold illegally. With the help of others, Sojourner filed suit against the offending party and won custody of her son back.
Job:
Abolistionist and Women’s Rights Advocate
Introduction:
“If the Lord comes and burns – as you say he will – I am not going away; I am going to stay here and stand the fire, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! And Jesus will walk with me through the fire and keep me from harm.” In history, there are many women who stand firm in their faith, letting their lives be a living testimony of the work the Lord does in them and through them. While these great women have testimonies that chronicle the hardships they face, few can hold a candle to the harships faced by Isabella Baumfree, later known to history as Sojourner Truth.
Lesson:
Sojourner Truth was born a slave of Johannes Hardenbergh, one of thirteen children to James and Elizabeth Baumfree in Swartekill, NY in 1797. She only spoke Dutch until she was sold at age nine. Her time as a slave was hard and she faced great abuse, both sexually and physically, from her new masters. She fell in love with Robert, a nearby slave, and had one child with him, but her masters sought to keep them apart, forcing her instead to marry Thomas, another slave. She had additional children with Thomas.
In 1826, Isabella had a vision from God telling her to walk away from slavery and with her young daughter, she escaped to Canada, being forced to leave her other children behind. Through hard work and determination, she eventually was able to get her children back.
When New York abolished slavery, she returned to the state. She became a domestic servant to street preacher Elijah Pierson and assisted him with his ministry preaching on street corners. She was the first black woman to take a white man to trial, filing suit against him for illegally selling her son Peter. She won custody of her son and he returned to her care.
In 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth (see the quote above) and she became a staunch abolitionist and women’s rights advocate. She travled around the region sharing her message, speaking on behalf of slaves and women. She was a Methodist preacher, sharing her personal interpretation of the Word (she was unable to read or write) as she fought for equality and reform. After one of her speeches she was viciously attacked by a mob and had to walk with a cane the rest of her life. She is most famous for her women’s rights speech, entitled “Ain’t I a Woman?” which she preached in 1851 at a women’s conference.
During the Civil War she helped to recruit black troops for the Union Army. In October of 1864, Sojourner met Abraham Lincoln, refusing to support the black vote until women also had rights. The meeting was one of mutual respect and honor, transcending race, gender, and socioeconomic lines.
She continued advocating for women’s rights, including the right to vote, which she did not see during her life time. She died in 1883 and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetary in Battle Creek, MI.
Be the first to comment