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Sojourner Truth's birth
In 1797, Isabella Baumfree was born to James and Elizabeth Baumfree as a slave to Colonel Hardenbergh. Isabella was one of ten or twelve children in her family, and when she was 9 she was sold at an auction and seperated from her family. -
Sojourner Truth as a Slave
When Colonel Hardenbergh died in 1806, 9 year old Isabella was sold to John Neely. Neely was cruel and harsh and beat her daily with bundles of rods. In 1808, Neely sold her to Martinus Schryver. After 18 months Schryver sold her in 1810 to John Dumont. -
Sojourner Truth's Haunting Experience
Around 1815, Isabella met and fell in love with a slave from another farm named Robert. Robert's owner Charles Catton, Jr. forbade them to see eachother because he knew any children they had would not be his property. When caught sneaking out, Catton and his son savagely beat Robert, and Isabella never saw him again. Robert later died from the beatings, and this experience haunted Isabella for the rest of her life. -
Sojourner Truth Escapes
Isabella was promised freedom by her owner John Dumount a year before New York's legislature to the abolition of slavery. However Dumount later changed his mind when Isabella suffered a hand injury, making her "unfit" to work. In 1826, Isabella escaped slavery with her infant daughter Sophia. -
Sojourner Truth Wins a Case
Isabella and her daughter Sophia were taken in by Isaac and Maria Van Wagenen. Isabella learned that her 5 year old son Peter was sold illegally by Dumount to an owner in Alabama. Isabella took this to court and with the help of the Van Wagenens she got back her son, and become the first black womam to go against a white man in court and win. -
Isabella become Sojourner Truth
1843 was a turning point for Isabella. She became a Methodist and on June 1st she changed her name to Sojourner Truth. Sojourner Truth then went on a mission to speak up for aboltion, women's rights, and African American rights. -
"Ain't I a Woman."
In May of 1851, Sojourner Truth attended a Woman's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. She delivered her most famous speech, "Ain't I a Woman.". Her speech demanded equal rights for both, all women and all blacks. -
Sojourner Truth during the Civil War
During the Civil War, Sojourner Truth helped recruit black troops for the Union Army. Truth also gathered supplies for black troops. Because of her tribute, Truth was invited to the White House by Abraham Lincoln. -
Sojourner Truth's Streetcar Accident
At the end of the Civil War,Sojourner Truth continued to fight for freed slaves. Her arm had been dislocated by a Washington streetcar conductor after he refused to let her ride. After this, she fought for and won the right for blacks to share Washington streetcars with whites. -
Sojourner Truth's Death
On November 26th, 1883, Sojourner Truth died at her Battle Creek home. She lived to be 86 years old. She was buried in Battle Creek's Oak Hill Cemetary.
