Sojourner Truth's Life and Accomplishments

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Sojourner Truth was an outspoken woman who fought for women's rights, black's rights, and antislavery. She fully believed what she spoke when she said, "Truth is powerful and it prevails." Sojourner Truth stood up for something she believed in, and it is still affecting people's lives in many positive ways today.

Sojourner Truth, originally named Isabella Ardinburgh, was born sometime between 1797 and 1800, in New York, to James and Betsey Ardinburgh. Isabella had a total of ten to twelve siblings, but being the second youngest, all her older siblings, other than her younger brother Peter, were sold to other owners before she could remember them. Her parents would cry most nights late into the night thinking about the children who had been taken from them. Isabella was born into slavery to Colonel Ardinburgh, the owner of her parents, but was sold to a John Neely at the age of nine (Gilbert, 1-3, 6). Neely would beat Isabella horribly, so after much praying she was finally sold again to a fisherman (Gilbert, 6-7; Adler, 5). The last owners Isabella would ever be sold to were the Dumont's (Gilber,7). She ran away from this owner, Dumont, in 1826 which was a year before slaves were to be freed. Dumont had promised to let her go that year, but when it came time he refused. She wouldn't stand to be bullied in such a way (Adler, 8-9). One bad experience Isabella had as a slave for Mr. Dumont had to do with a man she loved, Robert. Robert was caught visiting Isabella on the Dumont's farm and was severely beaten and taken away. She later married Thomas and had five kids with him: Diana, Elizabeth, Hannah, Peter, and Sophia (Adler, 6-7). Because of her background as a slave, she was never educated and therefore illiterate ...

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...ite. Web. 17 Feb. 2014

Gilbert, Olive. "Narrative of Sojourner Truth." (2000): 54 Pages. eBook Collection. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

Great Emancipator, meeting with Sojourner Truth. Photograph. Galileo. EBSCOhost, 2 Mar. 2014.

Lebedun, Jean. "Harriet Beecher Stowe's Interest in Sojourner Truth, Black Feminist." American Literature Issue 3 (1974): 5 Pages. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

"Mars robot 'Sojourner' named by black girl to honor abolitionist Sojourner Truth." Jet Issue 10 (1997): 4 Pages. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 17 Feb. 2014.

Sojourner Truth-Abolitionist and Feminist. Video. Bio: True Story. A&E Television Networks, LLC. 10 Feb. 2014.

Sojourner Truth bust unveiled at the Capitol in Washington. Photograph. Galileo. EBSCOhost, 2 Mar. 2014.

Wortham, Anne. "Sojourner Truth." World & I Issue 3 (2000): 22 Pages. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 10 Feb. 2014.

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