Sojourner Truth (Isabelle Baumfree) By: Reid Petty and Isabelle Cecere

Biography Born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, New York (1797) Harshly abused under several masters Isabella married an older slave named Thomas and bore 5 children Escaped slavery with her youngest daughter Sophia (freed by New York emancipation order) Wins law suit to recover son Peter who was illegally sold into slavery in Alabama At age 46, adopts the name Sojourner Truth

Biography (Continued) Joins the utopian Northampton Association in Mass., where she meets anti-slavery reformers Narrative of Sojourner Truth published in 1850 Attends women's rights convention in Akron, Ohio, where she delivers the famous "Ain't I a Woman" speech Travels all of 1870 speaking against alcohol, slavery, and preaching women’s rights First woman to vote in a Michigan state election Dies at Battle Creek, Michigan on November 26th, 1883

Feminist Movement First wave of Feminism 18th through early 20th centuries Created to work towards social, political, monetary, and artistic equality between men and women Feminism works to bring down society’s patriarchy (men over women) and reach complete equality

Feminist Movement (Continued) Multiple variations of feminism: Liberal political and legal reform without altering the structure of society Radical total uprooting and reconstruction of society Social connects oppression of women to exploitation, oppression, and labor Marxist overcoming class oppression overcomes gender oppression

Important Events in Feminist Movement First wave of feminism concerned with right to vote Representation of the People Act of 1918 Granted women over the age of 30 who owned houses the right to vote In 1928 this was extended to all women over 21 Nineteenth Amendment granted all women the right to vote Sojourner Truth greatly affected the change in rights for women

Abolitionist Movement In America Movement to end slavery First movement in America by German Quakers The Society of Relief of Free Negros Unlawfully Held in Bondage Abolitionists succeed in getting slavery completely banded in all states North of Ohio River Importation of slaves into the United States was officially banned on January 1, 1808

Abolitionist Movement In America (Continued) Vermont became the first jurisdiction in North America to prohibit slavery Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled in 1783, that a black man was free under the state’s constitution 1835 alone abolitionists mailed over a million pieces of anti-slavery literature to the South Many Abolitionists supported the underground railroad Growing conflict leads to civil war

Contributions of Sojourner Truth Traveled and spoke out for the rights of slaves and women “Ain’t I a Woman” Speech (for women’s rights) Helped to reveal how cruel slavery could be (Friends of Human Progress Association meeting) Employed by the National Freedman's Relief Association to improve conditions for African-Americans

Contributions of Sojourner Truth Active helping blacks escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad in Michigan Helped recruit black troops for the Union Army Met Abraham Lincoln to challenge the discrimination that segregated street cars by race After Civil War – Freedman’s Bureau (helps blacks adjust to and protect their new freedoms)

Effects of Contributions African American conditions were improved Awareness of the cruelty of slavery was raised Blacks that were not emancipated were able to escape to freedom Blacks given right and convinced to join Union army Blacks rights were maintained after emancipation Women rose to equality with men

Bibliography Truth, Sojourner. "Ain't I a Woman." Women's Rights Convention. Akron, Ohio, 1851. Speech. Gilbert, Olive. The Narrative of Sojourner Truth. Boston: 1850. Print. "Sojourners Years in Battle Creek." Sojourner Truth.org Home Page. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sojournertruth.org/History/Biography/BC.htm>. "Black History Month: The Crusade of Sojourner Truth [Mackinac Center]." Mackinac Center: Advancing Liberty and Prosperity. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.mackinac.org/1649>. "Sojourner Truth Speeches Menu." Sojourner Truth.org Home Page. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.sojournertruth.org/Library/Speeches/Default.htm>. "Sojourner Truth Biography." Lakewood Public Library (Lakewood, Ohio). Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/trut-soj.htm>. "This Far by Faith . Sojourner Truth | PBS." PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 29 Mar. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/sojourner_truth.html>.