According to an article titled “Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)” in Student Resource Center –Gold database, in Isabella Baumfree’s autobiography she says, “My name was Isabella; but when I left the house of bondage, I left everything behind…. I went to the Lord and asked him to give me a new name. And the Lord gave me Sojourner, because I was to travel up and down the land, showing people their sins, and being a sign unto them.”
According to an article, called “Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)” in Student Resource Center – Gold database, Isabella Baumfree was born, 1797, in Ulster County, New York to her father James, nicknamed “Baumfree”, and her mother Elizabeth, nicknamed “Mau-Mau-Bett”. Isabella spent her early childhood on an estate owned by Dutch settlers, so her first language spoken was Low Dutch and she would always have an accent. In 1810 Isabella was bought by John Dumont of New Paltz Landing and she lived there for 17 years. While living in New Paltz Landing she had her husband, Thomas, also a slave, chosen for her. Isabella had 5 children with Thomas, and two daughters and one son were sold away from her. She became a free woman by New York State Emancipation Act of 1827. John Dumont demanded Isabella stay another year and work for him, but she left Dumont in 1826, leaving behind her husband and children, a year before she was supposed to. Her goal of leaving was to find and retrieve her son, Peter. Peter had been sold as an illegal slave to an owner in Alabama; Isabella took the owner to court. Isabella “found Jesus” in 1827 while she kept fighting for her son back. In 1828 she became the first black woman to take a white man to court and win.
According to an article called “Truth, Sojourner (c. 1797-1883)” taken from Student Resource Center – Gold database Isabella lived according to her strong Christian faith, and claimed that God talked to her. In 1829 she moved to New York City with her two youngest children, Peter and Sophia. Once settled in, Isabella joined a Methodist church and adopted the church’s “evangelistic and perfectionist religious beliefs. Inside that church she met Elijah Pierson, a “wealthy and erratic social reformer”. In the 1830’s Isabella moved to Ossing, New York and stayed there for five years. After those five years she moved back to New York City and attended the African Zion Church until 1843. In that year Isabella Baumfree became Sojourner Truth, and her mission, in her own words, was to “travel up and down the land, showing people their sins, and being a sign unto them” so she became an minister traveling around the Connecticut River. She spread the message that God was loving and perfect and often said “God is everlasting to everlasting” and “Truth burns up error”.
In the winter of 1843 she also moved to Northampton Industrial Association until 1846. When Sojourner met two important abolitionist members, Fredrick Douglass and George Benson women’s rights became increasingly important to her. According to an article called “Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)” in the Student Resource Center – Gold in the 1850’s Sojourner began a speaking tour. She was often described as determined and confident, also never intimidated. Sojourners lectures were mainly unrehearsed, and they often told about her life as a slave. She published her autobiography, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, in 1850, ghost written by Olive Gilbert, and there were six subsequent additions. Sojourner then bought a house in Michigan, near Battle Creek, but she kept traveling and speaking. She met Lincoln on October 29, 1864. Once the war was over, Sojourner kept working with and visiting freed slaves. She began lecturing about the Temperance Movement. According to an article called “Sojourner Truth”, in the Biography Resource Center, in the mid 1870’s her autobiography was revised and republished. Unfortunately, by 1883 she was confined to her bed, as the ulcers on her legs became increasingly painful. Sojourner Truth died on November 26, 1883 at the age of 86. Her funeral was the largest funeral ever held in Battle Creek. Sojourner Truth was truly one of the most influential Americans in history.
According to an article, called “Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)” in Student Resource Center – Gold database, Isabella Baumfree was born, 1797, in Ulster County, New York to her father James, nicknamed “Baumfree”, and her mother Elizabeth, nicknamed “Mau-Mau-Bett”. Isabella spent her early childhood on an estate owned by Dutch settlers, so her first language spoken was Low Dutch and she would always have an accent. In 1810 Isabella was bought by John Dumont of New Paltz Landing and she lived there for 17 years. While living in New Paltz Landing she had her husband, Thomas, also a slave, chosen for her. Isabella had 5 children with Thomas, and two daughters and one son were sold away from her. She became a free woman by New York State Emancipation Act of 1827. John Dumont demanded Isabella stay another year and work for him, but she left Dumont in 1826, leaving behind her husband and children, a year before she was supposed to. Her goal of leaving was to find and retrieve her son, Peter. Peter had been sold as an illegal slave to an owner in Alabama; Isabella took the owner to court. Isabella “found Jesus” in 1827 while she kept fighting for her son back. In 1828 she became the first black woman to take a white man to court and win.
According to an article called “Truth, Sojourner (c. 1797-1883)” taken from Student Resource Center – Gold database Isabella lived according to her strong Christian faith, and claimed that God talked to her. In 1829 she moved to New York City with her two youngest children, Peter and Sophia. Once settled in, Isabella joined a Methodist church and adopted the church’s “evangelistic and perfectionist religious beliefs. Inside that church she met Elijah Pierson, a “wealthy and erratic social reformer”. In the 1830’s Isabella moved to Ossing, New York and stayed there for five years. After those five years she moved back to New York City and attended the African Zion Church until 1843. In that year Isabella Baumfree became Sojourner Truth, and her mission, in her own words, was to “travel up and down the land, showing people their sins, and being a sign unto them” so she became an minister traveling around the Connecticut River. She spread the message that God was loving and perfect and often said “God is everlasting to everlasting” and “Truth burns up error”.
In the winter of 1843 she also moved to Northampton Industrial Association until 1846. When Sojourner met two important abolitionist members, Fredrick Douglass and George Benson women’s rights became increasingly important to her. According to an article called “Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)” in the Student Resource Center – Gold in the 1850’s Sojourner began a speaking tour. She was often described as determined and confident, also never intimidated. Sojourners lectures were mainly unrehearsed, and they often told about her life as a slave. She published her autobiography, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, in 1850, ghost written by Olive Gilbert, and there were six subsequent additions. Sojourner then bought a house in Michigan, near Battle Creek, but she kept traveling and speaking. She met Lincoln on October 29, 1864. Once the war was over, Sojourner kept working with and visiting freed slaves. She began lecturing about the Temperance Movement. According to an article called “Sojourner Truth”, in the Biography Resource Center, in the mid 1870’s her autobiography was revised and republished. Unfortunately, by 1883 she was confined to her bed, as the ulcers on her legs became increasingly painful. Sojourner Truth died on November 26, 1883 at the age of 86. Her funeral was the largest funeral ever held in Battle Creek. Sojourner Truth was truly one of the most influential Americans in history.
"Truth, Sojourner (c.1779-1883)." Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale, 2003. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
"Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)." Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale, 2003. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
"Sojourner Truth." Biography Resource Center. Gale, 1997. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
"Truth, Sojourner (1797-1883)." Student Resource Center - Gold. Gale, 2003. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
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