Sojurner Truth Flashcards
Born
In New York to slaves and her name was Isabella
Upbringing
She had different owners, but her most noted ones were the dumont family, for two reasons:
She remained close with them after she was freed and secondly she married Thomas who was another of their slaves who was way older than her. They married for 12 years and had 5 kids, but divorced.
Religious beliefs
She was born again and joined a methodist church. Then affiliated with a bunch of very religious, cult like churches. One of her followers was accused of murder and sexual assault, she remained loyal
Court cases
She sure for her sons freedom, he was illegally sold, and she won
She was accused of attempted poisoning in one of her religious communes and sued successfully for libel
1835-1843
She did housework, other than that, no record of what she did during this time period
Name change
Isabella changed her name to Sojurner truth acting on instructions of what she believed to be the Holy Spirit she subsequently set out towards the East to preach the need to embrace Jesus
Millenarian agitation
William Miller claimed that the second coming would happen in 1843 eventually as truth traveled the east preaching she went from one Millerite camp meeting to another. Obviously they faced their great disappointment when the second coming failed to happen
Northampton association
A Massachusetts community dedicated to the cooperative manufacture of silk. They were women’s rights abolishinists lead by William Lloyd Garrisons brother in law.
Book
The narrative of sojurner truth
Most famous words
At a Fredrick Douglass speech, when he was talking about insurrection against slavery. She stood up snd said, “Fredrick, is God dead?” Citing what she thought was his lack of faith
General accomplishments
Spoke at multiple women’s rights conventions
In 1858, she faced down critics who doubted a woman can be such a forceful abolishinist by baring her breasts and shaming her antagonists
Built a house big enough for her and her daughters and this was remarkable from a real estate and race standpoint
Met with lincoln during the civil war
Assisted southern black refugees
