Sojourner+Truth+-+SP09

Sojourner Truth

Background:

Sojourner Truth was a slave named Isabella Baumfree, once she was free of her slavery she wanted to change the world. She knew that this fight wasn't hers alone but it was only possible if she met the right people along the way. She was a social reformer, abolitionist, evangelist, counselor, suffragist, activist for human rights, and a speaker. She left her mark on the world in about 1799 in New York before the state was completely rid of slavery in July 4, 1827. Later she met Elijah Pierson who showed her the ways of an evangelist, she started preaching adding ideas of a pure abolitionist and suffragist. Truth traveled in the late 1840's to spread abolition pride and became a popular speaker. In 1850, she began lecturing women's rights. Her most famous for her speech was "Ain't I a Woman" in 1851. She became activist in the Millerites, which was later named the Seventh Day Adventist. Criticism from Society:

New York was finished with slavery in 1827 however, blacks and whites didn't treat each other equally, and women have no say in anything that could pertain to their lives. Facing a heckler once who told her, that he did not care for her anti-slavery talk anymore then he would the bite of a flea, Truth retorted, "Perhaps not, but Lord willing I'll keep you scratching," ( Sojourner Truth Biography ). Society thought whites were always superior to blacks and will, always be that way. In addition, a woman to actually have right was out of the question because the men would make the money and were the so-called breadwinners. Women just reared the family and lived as a mother to their children and a wife to their husbands.

Goals:

~Equal rights for African Americans ~To gain women’s rights ~For Human Rights ~Humans to be treated with less temperance ~End end of capital punishment ~To end the prison reform

Methods of Achieving goals:

Truth used her traveling preaching, virtues to help spread the word and relate religion to the human race. From there she started lectures and participate in conventions outside New York. She got former slaves and was able to give them a job in the west and the ability to buy land. She lectured about women's right to vote and an equal treatment in a workplace.

Improving the life of Americans:

Sojourner wanted to support the people to made committees as such to help human rights and overall improve the life to future children who could have the freedom. She wanted women to become more dependent, so they could support themselves for whatever may happen later on. She wanted to marry a man (another slave) she loved, but because of greed (of the slave owner), because of slavery, because of so many things that could have been easily avoided the man was beaten to death. She didn’t want other African Americans to be randomly selected to be tied by the wrists and whipped by their owners for enjoyment of a slave’s cried. She didn’t want other former slaves to be fighting for the freedom of their illegally sold children.

Help advance the movement:

The more support we have for human rights will increase chances of a better unity in our nation. If we learn to eye through each other’s eyes slavery would have never existed. If men don't trust the women to have a job and be treated equally then how do the women trust men with their lives? A woman not having the equal leveled platform with men creates disunity and confusion. We need African Americans and women to have the same rights as men in order for our country to recover the damages received earlier, like the bleeding economy. The President Jackson and federal government could help by gradually stopping slavery and allowing African Americans to be treated as an equal by laws and increase women’s rights by allowing them to vote and be treated as an equal by enforcing laws and acts. Success:

Truth's son was sold illegally out of New York, into Alabama by her previous slave owners. She opens a case with the County Court House of Kingston to have her son returned. In the end, she was the first African American to win a case and had her son returned to her. She relocated former slaves to have a better life in the west, where they would be free. Truth definitely opened the eyes to many people, even if they weren't thoroughly convinced that she would win her fight over a long period of time.

Work Citied: 

"Sojourner Truth A Life and Legacy of Faith." 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth." __About.com Women's History__. 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth." __Gale Cengage Learning__. 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth Biography." 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth (Isabella Baumfree)." __Women in History__. 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth a Biography." 28 Feb. 2009 []. "Sojourner Truth." 28 Feb. 2009 [].