Sojourner Truth

Sojourner Truth (1797-1883), born Isabella Bomfree, was a prominent abolitionist. After escaping slavery with her infant daughter, she returned and successfully sued an enslaver for the return of her five-year-old son. Following her move to New York City, she worked for a local minister and was a charismatic speaker. In 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth, believing that the spirit called on her to speak the truth. Though she never learned to write, she traveled the country making speeches and collaborating with other abolitionists, such as Frederick Douglass, Wendell Phillips, and William Lloyd Garrison, to advocate for the abolition of slavery. During the war, Truth met with President Lincoln on at least one occasion, and she and Douglass helped to recruit Black troops. Alongside her work for abolition, she was an ardent advocate for intersecting social issues, including women’s rights, voting rights, and prison reform