SOJOURNER TRUTH1797-1883A NORTHERN SLAVE Freedom Fighter / Orator / Women’s rights activist, Abolitionist In 1851 Belle, as she was called, met and fell in love with a slave named Robert from a neighboring farm. Robert’s owner forbade the relationship because he did not want a slave girl of his to enter into a relationship with a male slave that was not his property. This was because if there were children to come from the relationship they would not be his property but the property of the owner of the male slave. Robert was savagely beaten and Belle would never see him again. The injuries suffered by Robert from the beaten led to his death. Belle was forced to marry an older slave named Thomas. Thomas was also owned by Neeley. From this marriage five children were born. Following the abolishment of slavery in the state of New York Belle was to gain her freedom but this would not take place for a year. Meanwhile Belle had been promised her freedom by her master sooner than the date put forth by New York State. Her master had a change of heart and would not give her her freedom. Even though she would have gained her freedom the next year she was so hurt and disgusted she chose to escape now. In doing so she took her infant daughter with her. She found her way to the home of Isaac and Marin Van Wagener who took her and her baby in. Isaac offered to buy her services for the remainder of the year, until the state’s emancipation took effect. Her former master accepted the terms. Bell had a life-changing religious experience during her stay with the Van Waggener’s and became a devout Christian. After gaining her freedom she move to New York City where she worked as a housekeeper for Elijah Pierson, a Christian Evangelist. Belle saved her money and bought a home in Northampton. It was here where her skills as an Orator took her to fame. She started by speaking at the first National Woman’s Right Convention. She worked tirelessly speaking to large audiences for the rights of women. The most famous of these speeches was her speech “Ain’t I A Woman.” She delivered this speak speaking spontaneously. In response to a chauvinistic minister referring to woman as the weaker sex: She began: “You over there minister: Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles."
You say Jesus was a man. Well where did Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with it.
Sojourner worked tirelessly for the woman's suffrage movement. However, she died before the 19th amendment was passed and did not see it implemented. However if she had lived to see it implemented she would have been disappointed because the right to vote went to White women and countess legal barriers and harassment measures were put forth to prevent Black women from voting. This led to the “BLACK WOMAN’S SUFFERAGE MOVEMENT," with the likes of Ida B. Wells left to carry on Sojourner’s legacy. Along with working hard for Woman’s suffrage she worked to recruit Black men to fight in the Civil War for the Union. Following the war she tried unsuccessfully to secure land grants from the federal government for former slaves. For more information read; ”The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave.” |