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Sojourner TruthSojourner Truth was born Isabella Baumfree around 1797 in New York. She would become an abolitionist, preacher, and activist who spent decades speaking out against slavery and advocating for women's rights.
Born into slavery under Dutch-speaking enslavers—making English her second language—she was sold multiple times and separated from her family as a child before escaping in 1826 with her infant daughter. Truth later won her son's freedom in court, becoming one of the first Black women to successfully sue a white man. After escaping slavery, she experienced a religious awakening that led her to adopt the name Sojourner Truth and to begin her career as a traveling preacher.
In the 1840s, she became involved in the abolitionist movement. Her 1851 speech at the Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, is known for a phrase she most likely did not say: "Ain't I a Woman?" Regardless, the speech helped establish her as a figure who connected racial and gender equality in a way few others did at the time. Although she could neither read nor write, Truth remained one of the most influential leaders in the abolition and women's rights movements until her death in 1883.Explore Sojourner Truth
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Sojourner Truth's 'Aint I a Woman?' speech addressed the disparity between the treatment of white and black women in AmericaTruth, a former slave, delivered the address acknowledging both abolition and the treatment of women at a Women's Convention in 1851. She is believed to have spoken with little to no preparation beforehand. Different versions of the speech exist, as there is no officially published version. National Park ServiceTruth is best known for her 1851 speech in Akron linking abolition and women's rightsAt the 1851 Women's Rights Convention, Truth gave a speech that cemented her legacy, weaving together abolition and women's rights in remarks that became among the most quoted of the 19th century. Library of CongressNASA's 1997 Mars rover was named in Truth's honorIn 1997, NASA's Mars Pathfinder mission landed on the red planet. Its rover was named Sojourner in Truth's honor—a name selected by a 12-year-old student in a nationwide essay contest about a historical hero. NASARead passages from Truth's autobiography, dictated because she was illiterateBecause Truth was illiterate, her memoir was dictated to and written by Olive Gilbert. Published in 1850, "The Narrative of Sojourner Truth" recounts her life in slavery, escape to freedom, and religious awakening. University of PennsylvaniaTruth was the first Black woman honored with a bust in the US CapitolGetting Truth's bust into the Capitol took a decade of campaigning by the National Congress of Black Women. The legislation was sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2006. After gaining her freedom, Truth successfully went to court to free her sonWhen her son Peter was illegally sold into slavery in Alabama, Truth took the matter to court—becoming one of the first Black women to successfully sue a white man and win, and securing her son's return. Read Truth's account of escaping slavery in 1826After her enslaver broke his promise to free her, Truth left before dawn, carrying her infant daughter and a bundle of clothes. She later found refuge with the Van Wagener family, who paid her master $20 for her freedom and $5 for her infant daughter. World History EncyclopediaHear the story of Truth's lifeThis podcast traces Truth's life from slavery in New York to her status as an abolitionist icon—covering her daring escape, legal victories, landmark speeches, and lasting impact on racial equality and women's rights. Truth met President Lincoln at the White House in 1864In October 1864, Truth traveled to Washington and met President Lincoln a week before his reelection, though she could secure the appointment only through a white abolitionist friend. Lincoln signed her autograph book, and Truth later said she had never been treated with more "kindness and cordiality" by anyone. The facts of Truth's life and legacy are still debated by historiansHistorians have challenged the accepted biography of Truth—questioning whether she actually ever said "Ain't I a Woman?" and arguing that generations of activists have claimed Truth as a symbol at the expense of accurately understanding who she really was. The words of Truth's Akron speech are disputed—compare the two versionsThere are two versions of Truth's Akron speech: one written shortly after by a white abolitionist, and the other published 12 years later. The later version added a southern dialect and the phrase "Ain't I a Woman?"—raising questions about its authenticity. The abolitionist movement long predated the Civil WarBeginning in the late 18th century, abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Sojourner Truth campaigned through newspapers, lectures, and political action to end slavery. HISTORY
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