A former slave, Sojourner Truth became an outspoken advocate for abolition, temperance, and civil and women’s rights in the nineteenth century. Learn more at womenshistory.org.
Sojourner Truth was an African American evangelist, abolitionist, women’s rights activist and author who lived a miserable life as a slave, serving several masters throughout New York before escaping to freedom in 1826. After gaining her freedom, Truth became a Christian and, at what she believed was God’s urging, preached about abolitionism and equal rights for all, highlighted in her stirring “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, delivered at a women’s convention in Ohio in 1851. She continued her crusade for the rest of her life, earning an audience with President Abraham Lincoln and becoming one of the world’s best-known human rights crusaders.
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was an African American evangelist, abolitionist, women’s rights activist, author who was born into slavery. After escaping to freedom in 1826, Truth traveled the country preaching about abolitionism and equal rights.
Dutch her default language, she nonetheless prevails in a predominantly English-speaking North. As as with many former slaves, she changes her slave name to something more suitable to her mission as a sojourner of the truth.