Sojourner Truth

Abraham Lincoln called her a hero.  The U.S. Post Office dedicated a stamp to her.  She is in the National Women's Hall of Fame and NASA named the rover used on the 1997, Mars Space Mission after her.  She was one of the United States' most influential civil rights activists.

Born into slavery in 1797, Isabella Baumfree fought against incredible odds her entire life.  Imagine a black woman in the pre Civil War days filing a lawsuit to have a son who had been sold into slavery returned to her - and winning!  While in her forties, Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth and toured the countryside speaking out against slavery and for the right to vote.

Sojourner's faith in God was paramount to her cause.  Said Nell Irvin Painter, author of Sojourner Truth: A Life, a Symbol, "The most important life lesson from Sojourner is to have a strong spiritual backing.  She always felt like she had another power with her."

My brief look into Sojourner's life revealed a world of slavery not accurately depicted in the American history books, the ones found in our school system.   In, Narrative of Sojourner Truth, as told to by Sojourner and written by Olive Gilbert, Sojourner says that such atrocities that had befallen her were so horrible, she would not repeat them.  Her other motive for not repeating them was to actually protect the people and their families who had reigned down such cruelties upon her.  That Sojourner Truth possessed dignity and class is a gross understatement.

The odds stacked up against Sojourner in her quest against slavery and for women's rights were incomprehensible.  In the comfort of our Twenty-First Century lives, it's nearly impossible to make a connection to these days.  The thoughts of slavery and of no women's rights is just something we have read about in the books.  But these crimes against humanity were carried out on American soil less than one-hundred fifty years ago...and, in the case of women's rights, even less.

There are cases of crimes against humanity going on right now throughout the world.  While we are probably not in a position to carry on an all out crusade for justice, we can bring right to wrong within our own space by treating people with dignity and respect.

Narrative of Sojourner Truth by Olive Gilbert

 

Comments

[EM Sky]

Thank you, Dave, for this inspiration. I had no idea that the NASA rover was named after this woman. I think that's so great!

As for women's rights, my own grandmother was taken out of school after second or third gade to help pay for her brothers' education. While she worked long days in a factory from the age of eight or nine, her brothers stayed in school, eventually becoming lawyers. In those days, women were not considered worth educating. Now, just two generations later, I have a law degree myself, payed for by a full scholarship. We've come a long way...

- EM

[Felix Gerena]

It is an incredible story. Seen from the eyes of a XXI century person it seems almost difficult to achieve such degree of courage and will.

On the other side we become aware of the shameful face of many events. Cruelty when justified in a period of time becomes shame for the coming ages. That´s a lesson I can learn form stories like this.

[Dave]

"Cruelty justified in a period of time..." As true as true can be Felix!