“If women want any rights more than they’s got, why don’t they just take them, and not be talking about it.” — Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was born into slavery, ran away, and eventually had her freedom purchased. She went on to become one of the strongest voices for abolition, for temperance, and for civil rights and women’s rights.
Born in New York state with the slave name Isabella Bomfree, she was bought and sold four times. She was severely beaten many times. With another slave she had five children. In 1827 she ran away with her infant daughter, finding shelter with an abolitionist family who bought her freedom for $20. New York freed their slaves the following year.
She moved to New York City and worked for a minister. As revivals were sweeping through the area she felt a call to preach and changed her name to Sojourner Truth. As she put it, “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.” In her travels Truth met abolitionists Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison and feminists Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. She embraced the causes of abolition of slavery and women’s rights.
In 1851 at a women’s rights conference she gave her most famous speech, “Ain’t I a Woman” (see below for the full text). In women’s circles she challenged the racism that ignored the plight of black women. In abolitionist circles she challenged men, including Frederick Douglass, who prioritized freeing black men from slavery over giving women their rights. She demanded justice for both blacks and women. Aided by her imposing height of nearly six feet, she was an oratorical force to be reckoned with! Her presence was such that some said she was really a man. In a 1858 convention someone interrupted her speech with that accusation, and she famously opened her blouse to bare her breasts.
In the 1850s Truth moved to Battle Creek, Michigan. She continued her speaking around the country, but she also helped slaves escape to freedom. During the Civil War she organized supplies for black Union troops. After the war she worked with the Freedmen’s Bureau to help resettle freed slaves and find them jobs.
Sojourner Truth never learned to read or write. In 1850 she dictated her now-famous autobiography, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave.
Here’s the full text of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” speech, though it has not been saved in the form she gave. The only form we have is this one which was rewritten in a stereotypical Southern black style, whereas Truth was from New York, specifically an area where Dutch was her first language. Also, the text speaks of 13 children, most sold off to slavery, whereas as best we can tell Truth had 5 children, one sold off as a slave. Even so, Truth’s intensity, power, and wit come through clearly:
Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [member of audience whispers, “intellect”] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or negroes’ rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got nothing more to say.
