Who is Sojourner Truth?

A few months ago I went to lunch at the home of my friend Charlene. I met her over a year ago, and we became fast friends. Her husband passed away about 10 months ago, and she's had a difficult time. She invited six friends to lunch, and I did not realize it at the time, but the date of the luncheon was exactly six months since his death. She wanted to thank the six of us for being there for her during a difficult time. I had not met any of her friends prior to the luncheon, but found each and every one of them very interesting. One woman was a sculptor who worked in bronze. She showed us pictures of some of her work. She's a very talented artist. Right now she's working on a life size bronze of Sojourner Truth. "Who is Sojourner Truth," I asked. She gave us a short history lesson, and now I'll give it to you. Sojourner Truth was born in 1797 on the Colonel Johannes Hardenbergh estate in Ulter County, a Dutch settlement in upstate New York. Her given name was Isabella Baumfree. She was one of 13 siblings, all salves on the Hardenbergh plantation. She spoke only Dutch until she was sold from her family around the age of nine. Because of the cruel treatment she suffered at the hands of a later master, she learned to speak English quickly, but had a Dutch accent for the rest of her life. She was first sold around the age of 9 when her second master died in 1808. She was sold to John Neely, along with a herd of sheep, for $100. Isabella was beaten frequently for the miscommunications, she speaking only Dutch, the family speaking only English. She later said she was whipped with "a bundle of rods, prepared in the embers, and bound together with cords." It was during this time that she began to find refuge in religion. 18 months later she was sold again, to the Dumont family. Isabella suffered many hardships at the hands of Mrs. Dumont. She does not specify exactly what the cruel and harsh treatment was, but historians have surmised that it might have been sexual abuse or harassment. Around 1815 she fell in love with a fellow slave, Robert. They were not permitted to see each other, but secretly tried to do so. Their relationship was discovered, Robert was dragged off and never seen again. Isabella was forced to marry an older slave, by which she had four children. In 1799 New York began to legislate the gradual abolition of slaves. Dumont had promised Isabella emancipation, but he later reneged. Isabella had had enough, and she ran off and escaped. She settled in New York City, but after losing her savings, resolved to make her way as a traveling preacher. In 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth. She spoke on the Union's behalf as well as for enlisting black troops for the cause of freeing slaves. After the Civil War ended she continued working to help the newly freed slaves through the Freedman's Relief Association. In 1870 she began campaigning for the federal government to provide former slaves with land in the new west. She fell ill in 1874, but continued to campaign for free land for former slaves. This was her last mission in life. She was an extraordinary woman for her time, for any time for that matter. Not only did I enjoy a delicious lunch at Charlene's (the panna cotta was delicious), but I learned all about Sojourner Truth, a truly extraordinary woman. I hope you have learned something from reading this blog today.