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In early 1828, Sojourner Truth approached[br]the Grand Jury of Kingston, New York.

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She had no experience [br]with the legal system,

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no money, and no power [br]in the eyes of the court.

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Ignoring the jury’s scorn,

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Truth said she was there to fight for[br]custody of her five-year-old son Peter,

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who’d been illegally sold [br]to an enslaver in Alabama.

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As the trial played out [br]over the next several months,

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Truth raised funds, [br]strategized with lawyers,

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and held her faith.

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Finally in the spring of 1828, [br]Peter was returned to her care—

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but Truth’s work was far from over.

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She would dedicate [br]the rest of her life to pursuing justice

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and spiritual understanding.

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Truth was born into slavery [br]as Isabella Baumfree

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in the late 18th century[br]in Ulster County, New York.

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Although New York state had announced [br]the abolition of slavery in 1799,

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the emancipation act was gradual.

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Those who were currently enslaved

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were forced to serve a period of [br]indentured servitude until their mid-20s.

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Throughout this period, [br]enslavers repeatedly sold Baumfree,

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tearing her from her loved ones.

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Often, she was explicitly prevented [br]from pursuing new relationships.

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Eventually, she married an enslaved man [br]named Thomas,

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with whom she had three children.

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She was desperate to keep [br]her new family together—

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but the slow progress of abolition [br]threatened this hope.

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Baumfree’s enslaver, John Dumont, [br]had promised to free her by 1826.

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When he failed to keep his word, [br]Baumfree fled for her safety.

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During the escape, she was only able [br]to rescue her youngest daughter Sophia,

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while her other children [br]remained in bondage.

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It would be two years before [br]she regained custody of Peter.

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After that, she would wait [br]another two years

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before she saw any of her other children.

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During this time, [br]Baumfree found solace in her faith

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and became increasingly dedicated [br]to religious reflection.

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After settling in Kingston, New York,

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she joined a Methodist community [br]that shared her political views.

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She continued her practice of speaking [br]aloud to God in private,

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and one night, her evening prayers[br]took on even more sacred significance.

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Baumfree claimed to hear the voice [br]of God, telling her to leave Kingston,

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and share her holy message with others.

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Though she never learned to read or write,

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Baumfree became known [br]as an electrifying orator,

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whose speeches drew on [br]Biblical references,

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spiritual ideals, [br]and her experience of slavery.

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Her sermons denounced the oppression [br]of African Americans and women in general,

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and became prominent in campaigns [br]for both abolition and women’s rights.

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In 1843, she renamed herself [br]Sojourner Truth

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and embarked on a legendary [br]speaking tour.

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Truth saw her journey [br]as a mission from God.

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Her faith often led her [br]to the nation’s most hostile regions,

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where she spoke to bigoted audiences [br]as the only Black woman in the crowd.

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Truth was confident God would protect her,

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but some crowds responded [br]to her bravery with violence.

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During one of her sermons,

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a mob of white men threatened to set [br]fire to the tent where she was speaking.

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In her memoir, Truth recalled steeling [br]herself to confront them:

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“Have I not faith enough to go out [br]and quell that mob…

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I felt as if I had three hearts!

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And that they were so large, [br]my body could hardly hold them!”

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She placated the men with song and prayer,[br]until they had no desire to harm her.

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Truth’s speeches impacted thousands of[br]people in communities across the nation,

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but her activism went far beyond[br]public speaking.

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During the Civil War, she became involved[br]with the Union Army,

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recruiting soldiers and organizing [br]supplies for Black troops.

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Her work was so well regarded that [br]she was invited to meet President Lincoln.

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She took the occasion to argue [br]that all formerly enslaved people

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should be granted land by the government.

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Truth continued to travel [br]and speak well into her 80s.

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Until her death in 1883, [br]she remained an outspoken critic

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who fought for her right to be heard [br]in a hostile world.

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As Truth once said, “I feel safe even[br]in the midst of my enemies;

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for the truth is powerful [br]and will prevail."