[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.78,0:00:12.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In early 1828, Sojourner Truth approached\Nthe Grand Jury of Kingston, New York.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.30,0:00:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She had no experience \Nwith the legal system,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.68,0:00:18.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,no money, and no power \Nin the eyes of the court.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:18.12,0:00:19.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Ignoring the jury’s scorn,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.94,0:00:24.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth said she was there to fight for\Ncustody of her five-year-old son Peter,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:24.09,0:00:27.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who’d been illegally sold \Nto an enslaver in Alabama.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:27.49,0:00:30.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As the trial played out \Nover the next several months,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.28,0:00:33.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth raised funds, \Nstrategized with lawyers,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:33.46,0:00:35.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and held her faith.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:35.30,0:00:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Finally in the spring of 1828, \NPeter was returned to her care—
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.28,0:00:42.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but Truth’s work was far from over.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.68,0:00:45.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She would dedicate \Nthe rest of her life to pursuing justice
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.53,0:00:48.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and spiritual understanding.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.08,0:00:50.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth was born into slavery \Nas Isabella Baumfree
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.92,0:00:54.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the late 18th century\Nin Ulster County, New York.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.42,0:00:58.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Although New York state had announced \Nthe abolition of slavery in 1799,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.47,0:01:01.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the emancipation act was gradual.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.04,0:01:02.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those who were currently enslaved
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.63,0:01:07.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were forced to serve a period of \Nindentured servitude until their mid-20s.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.23,0:01:10.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Throughout this period, \Nenslavers repeatedly sold Baumfree,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.96,0:01:13.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,tearing her from her loved ones.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.12,0:01:17.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Often, she was explicitly prevented \Nfrom pursuing new relationships.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:17.40,0:01:20.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eventually, she married an enslaved man \Nnamed Thomas,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.86,0:01:23.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with whom she had three children.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.31,0:01:25.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She was desperate to keep \Nher new family together—
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.92,0:01:29.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but the slow progress of abolition \Nthreatened this hope.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:29.44,0:01:34.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baumfree’s enslaver, John Dumont, \Nhad promised to free her by 1826.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.77,0:01:38.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When he failed to keep his word, \NBaumfree fled for her safety.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.82,0:01:43.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During the escape, she was only able \Nto rescue her youngest daughter Sophia,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.50,0:01:46.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,while her other children \Nremained in bondage.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.09,0:01:49.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It would be two years before \Nshe regained custody of Peter.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.81,0:01:52.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After that, she would wait \Nanother two years
Dialogue: 0,0:01:52.53,0:01:55.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before she saw any of her other children.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.58,0:01:58.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During this time, \NBaumfree found solace in her faith
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.93,0:02:02.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and became increasingly dedicated \Nto religious reflection.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.22,0:02:04.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,After settling in Kingston, New York,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.40,0:02:07.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,she joined a Methodist community \Nthat shared her political views.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.95,0:02:11.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She continued her practice of speaking \Naloud to God in private,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.50,0:02:16.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and one night, her evening prayers\Ntook on even more sacred significance.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.49,0:02:20.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baumfree claimed to hear the voice \Nof God, telling her to leave Kingston,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.49,0:02:23.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and share her holy message with others.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.17,0:02:25.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Though she never learned to read or write,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.39,0:02:28.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Baumfree became known \Nas an electrifying orator,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:28.46,0:02:30.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,whose speeches drew on \NBiblical references,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.82,0:02:34.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,spiritual ideals, \Nand her experience of slavery.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.36,0:02:38.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Her sermons denounced the oppression \Nof African Americans and women in general,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.54,0:02:43.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and became prominent in campaigns \Nfor both abolition and women’s rights.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.20,0:02:47.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In 1843, she renamed herself \NSojourner Truth
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.20,0:02:50.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and embarked on a legendary \Nspeaking tour.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.48,0:02:53.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth saw her journey \Nas a mission from God.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:53.36,0:02:56.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Her faith often led her \Nto the nation’s most hostile regions,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.71,0:03:01.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where she spoke to bigoted audiences \Nas the only Black woman in the crowd.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.08,0:03:03.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth was confident God would protect her,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:03.51,0:03:07.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but some crowds responded \Nto her bravery with violence.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:07.14,0:03:08.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During one of her sermons,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.39,0:03:12.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a mob of white men threatened to set \Nfire to the tent where she was speaking.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.61,0:03:17.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In her memoir, Truth recalled steeling \Nherself to confront them:
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.12,0:03:20.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Have I not faith enough to go out \Nand quell that mob…
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.31,0:03:22.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I felt as if I had three hearts!
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.40,0:03:26.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that they were so large, \Nmy body could hardly hold them!”
Dialogue: 0,0:03:26.34,0:03:31.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She placated the men with song and prayer,\Nuntil they had no desire to harm her.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:31.78,0:03:35.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth’s speeches impacted thousands of\Npeople in communities across the nation,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.94,0:03:39.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but her activism went far beyond\Npublic speaking.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:39.08,0:03:42.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,During the Civil War, she became involved\Nwith the Union Army,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:42.60,0:03:46.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,recruiting soldiers and organizing \Nsupplies for Black troops.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:46.30,0:03:50.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Her work was so well regarded that \Nshe was invited to meet President Lincoln.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:50.51,0:03:54.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,She took the occasion to argue \Nthat all formerly enslaved people
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.01,0:03:56.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,should be granted land by the government.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.81,0:04:00.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Truth continued to travel \Nand speak well into her 80s.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:00.11,0:04:04.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Until her death in 1883, \Nshe remained an outspoken critic
Dialogue: 0,0:04:04.65,0:04:08.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who fought for her right to be heard \Nin a hostile world.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:08.53,0:04:13.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As Truth once said, “I feel safe even\Nin the midst of my enemies;
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.23,0:04:17.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for the truth is powerful \Nand will prevail."