Notable people · Abolitionist · Suffrage
Sojourner Truth
Born Isabella Baumfree (Bomefree) in Ulster County, New York, c. 1797, she spoke at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron on May 29, 1851, at the Universalist 'Old Stone' Church. The best-known 'Ain't I a Woman' wording is from a version published twelve years later.
At a glance
- Born
- 1797
- Died
- 1883-11-26
- Known as
- Abolitionist, Suffrage
- Organizations
- Ohio Women's Rights Convention
Life story
Sojourner Truth was born Isabella Baumfree around 1797 in Ulster County, New York, and Dutch was her first language. She was sold several times as a child and later enslaved by John Dumont.
She escaped to freedom in 1826, found refuge with the Van Wagenen family in New Paltz, and took the name Sojourner Truth in 1843, beginning her work as a traveling speaker against slavery.
In May 1851 she spoke at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron. The speech is known as 'Ain't I a Woman?', a title that comes from a later published version.
During the Civil War she worked for freedmen's relief in Washington and met Lincoln in 1864. She died in Battle Creek, Michigan, in 1883. In 2009 she became the first Black woman honored with a bust in the U.S. Capitol.
Timeline
- 1797: Born (about) (Ulster County, NY) source
- 1810: Sold to John Dumont (West Park, NY) source
- 1826: Escapes to freedom; refuge with the Van Wagenens (New Paltz, NY) source
- 1843: Takes the name Sojourner Truth (New York) source
- 1851-05: Speaks at Ohio Women's Rights Convention (Akron, OH) source
- 1864: Works for freedmen's relief; meets Lincoln (Washington, D.C.) source
- 1883-11-26: Dies (Battle Creek, MI) source
What Sojourner is known for
- Spoke at the Akron Ohio Women's Rights Convention, 1851
Honors and things named for them
- First Black woman with a bust in the U.S. Capitol (2009)
- NASA Mars Pathfinder rover Sojourner (1997)
- Asteroid 249521 Truth
Family
- parents: James and Elizabeth Baumfree
Ohio places
Where Sojourner Truth was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Akron, Summit County (Universalist church site, 1851 convention (exact location not verified)) ZIP 44308 · Akron · Summit County
Myths and corrections
- The title 'Ain't I a Woman?' comes from Frances Gage's version published in 1863, twelve years after the Akron speech. The National Park Service says the first published account of the speech, by Marius Robinson within a month, does not include that phrase.
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. High: the main facts were confirmed in sources we opened.
- NPS: Sojourner Truth birth c.1797 Ulster Co NY, death 1883 Battle Creek, Akron speech, versions differ
- Wikipedia: Sojourner Truth Old Stone Church, 29 May 1851; Marius Robinson vs Frances Gage versions
