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This timeline highlights four important events that contributed to Sojourner Truth's life as an abolitionist and women right's activist.
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Isabella Bomfree later renamed Sojourner Truth was born a slave in Ulster County, New York in 1797. Throughout her enslavement Truth gave birth to five children many who were taken and sold into slavery. In 1827, Truth escaped slavery and resided with an abolitionists family who helped Truth sue for her son that was illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. Sojourner Truth won this case and although the status of if her son returned is unfounded, this is said to had sparked her fight for equality.
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During the Second Great Awakening, Sojourner Truth attended and became active in various christian revivals. She worked for her local minister and became a respected speaker. This is also when she renamed herself "Sojourner" which means traveler. Through this she expressed that the spirit called her to travel and spread the truth. Through recognition from her many speeches from revivals she was able to meet with many abolitionists. Namely Frederick Douglass and William Garrison.
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Sojourner never learned to read or write but was able to dictate her autobiography in 1850. This autobiography discussed Sojourner's life experiences during slavery and became popular. It contributed to her meeting of women's right activists Elizabeth Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Through this and prior meeting and studying of other abolitionists. Sojourner recognized the importance of bridging gender equality with racial equality during a time when many activists separated the two.
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Sojourner's most celebrated work is her speech she gave at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio. Sojourner spoke to individuals who were against racial equality but also to abolitionists who didn't fight for women's suffrage. This was important because this is where Sojourner was most separated from other abolitionists like Frederick Douglas who believed suffrage for black men should come before black women's.
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