Sojourner Truth Essay

Famous abolitionist and activist Sojourner Truth said, “You have been having our rights so long, that you think, like a slave-holder, that you own us. I know that it is hard for one who has held the reins for so long to give up; it cuts like a knife. It will feel all the better when it closes up again.” This quote is a part of the many speeches that she delivered for the abolitionist movement and slave rights. But what exactly is the abolitionist movement, and what did they do? The movement started around the early 1800’s by Quakers, but a lot of famous people were also involved in this group, like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and Abraham Lincoln (History). It was created to fight and put an end to slavery and ended after the 13th amendment

She was born into a slave family with many siblings, but almost all of them were sold off at a young age, except Truth and her brother Peter. At nine, she was bought and sold many times to terrible masters, before ending up on the farm of John and Sally Dumont. During her time on the farm, Truth married an enslaved man named Thomas and had five children. Although finally had a family, she was still not happy. Truth was physically and sexually abused by the white slaveholders who longed for freedom. These events early on in her life developed her passion for fighting for slave rights. Furthermore, she was told by her master that she could have her freedom one year before New York enacted a law outlawing slavery, but went back on his word. This was the breaking point for Truth, who, upset by this betrayal, ran away to a Quaker family who bought her and her 5-year-old son freedom. In 1827 when New York State abolished slavery, Truth moved to NYC and had a religious awakening. She joined a religious commune and preached to others who shared her beliefs. Although she was illiterate, Truth managed to memorize the Bible by listening to others read it to her. She became well known for her inspiring preaching and beautiful singing (Gale, part of Cengage Group, Gale In Context Online

There, she used her unique faith and speaking abilities to fight for women's rights and abolition. Throughout her career, she gave many important speeches, including "Ain't I a Woman?", which is one of her best-known speeches. The message was that Truth was living proof that women are not weaker than men, and all women, regardless of race, should be given the same rights as men. Since Truth was illiterate, she dictated her autobiography, "The Narrative of Sojourner Truth '', to Olive Gilbert, who assisted her in its publication. The book told about Truth's life and the hardships she endured while enslaved. Truth took copies of the book with her when she spoke in public and sold them to earn money. Slave narratives were popular at the time, but Truth's narrative was especially important and unique because it was the narrative of an enslaved woman from the North, which was rare since most slave narratives came from the South, where slavery was more common. Truth's autobiography challenged the idea that slavery was only a Southern problem. It showed that slavery was a national issue and that it affected people from everywhere. (Gale, part of Cengage Group, Gale In Context Online Collection). She also did many other incredible acts for the good of the country. During the Civil War, Truth helped recruit black soldiers for the Union side. She worked in Washington, DC, for