Sojourner Truth: By Hasien Jacobs English 102 February 27, 2017 For Assistant Professor Donald Scott Research Proposal Thesis Question: What motivated Sojourner Truth to become an anti-slavery advocate and what methods did she use? Thesis Answer: Sojourner Truth became an anti-slavery advocate in 1826, when she learned that her son, Peter, had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama, while living in New York, Isabella attended the many camp meetings held around the city, and she quickly established herself as a powerful speaker, capable of converting many with, a symbol for faith in nonviolence and God's power to right the wrongs of slavery. Born into slavery in 1797, Isabella Baumfree, who later changed her name to Sojourner Truth, would become one of the most powerful advocates to fight for human rights in the nineteenth century. In addition, she was separated from her family and sold several times before ending up on the farm of John and Sally Dumont. Nevertheless, the conditions for most slaves in the rural North were the same. Therefore, Isabella lived isolated from other African Americans. Although, she suffered from physical and sexual abuse by her enslavers(Women’s Rights, Web).Even though, her master failed to honor his promise to free her or to uphold the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827 Isabella ran away. She later informed her master, by saying “I did not run away, I walked away by daylight….”. Her spiritual beliefs guided her through and to her freedom safely (Foner, Garraty, Web). Furthermore, she births a child who was illegally sold under fraudulent acts of her old slave master. Meanwhile, she encounters happiness with a man she would, later on, marry and take on a different life with him standing by her in the fight for freedom for all African Americans. Isabella became more in-depth with her fight and became a member of the judicial process and also joined a church that would help her succeed in her mission for all to be free. Isabella learns that her pastor is more powerful and well-known than she thought and all of his teachings is more benefit to her than just words. Last but not lease, Isabella was forced to leave the city by those who promise to protect her and keep her safe it was clear that everything she undertook in the city was now proven a failure. Finally, Isabella ventured out independently and finds herself surrounded by people of less intelligence and no form of ideas but of the same color. Thesis Answer: Sojourner Truth became an anti-slavery advocate in 1826, when she learned that her son, Peter, had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama, while living in New York, Isabella attended the many camp meetings held around the city, and she quickly established herself as a powerful speaker, capable of converting many with, a symbol for faith in nonviolence and God's power to right the wrongs of slavery. Thesis Question: What stimulated Sojourner Truth to want to be an anti-slavery advocate and.

1. Sojourner Truth:
By Hasien Jacobs
English 102
February 27, 2017
For Assistant Professor Donald Scott
Research Proposal
Thesis Question: What motivated Sojourner Truth to become an
anti-slavery advocate and what methods did she use?
Thesis Answer: Sojourner Truth became an anti-slavery
advocate in 1826, when she learned that her son, Peter, had
been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama, while living in New
York, Isabella attended the many camp meetings held around
the city, and she quickly established herself as a powerful
speaker, capable of converting many with, a symbol for faith in
nonviolence and God's power to right the wrongs of slavery.
Born into slavery in 1797, Isabella Baumfree, who later changed
her name to Sojourner Truth, would become one of the most
powerful advocates to fight for human rights in the nineteenth
century. In addition, she was separated from her family and sold
several times before ending up on the farm of John and Sally
Dumont. Nevertheless, the conditions for most slaves in the

2. rural North were the same. Therefore, Isabella lived isolated
from other African Americans. Although, she suffered from
physical and sexual abuse by her enslavers(Women’s Rights,
Web).Even though, her master failed to honor his promise to
free her or to uphold the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827
Isabella ran away. She later informed her master, by saying “I
did not run away, I walked away by daylight….”. Her spiritual
beliefs guided her through and to her freedom safely (Foner,
Garraty, Web). Furthermore, she births a child who was
illegally sold under fraudulent acts of her old slave master.
Meanwhile, she encounters happiness with a man she would,
later on, marry and take on a different life with him standing by
her in the fight for freedom for all African Americans. Isabella
became more in-depth with her fight and became a member of
the judicial process and also joined a church that would help her
succeed in her mission for all to be free. Isabella learns that her
pastor is more powerful and well-known than she thought and
all of his teachings is more benefit to her than just words. Last
but not lease, Isabella was forced to leave the city by those who
promise to protect her and keep her safe it was clear that
everything she undertook in the city was now proven a failure.
Finally, Isabella ventured out independently and finds herself
surrounded by people of less intelligence and no form of ideas
but of the same color.
Thesis Answer: Sojourner Truth became an anti-slavery
advocate in 1826, when she learned that her son, Peter, had
been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama, while living in New
York, Isabella attended the many camp meetings held around
the city, and she quickly established herself as a powerful
speaker, capable of converting many with, a symbol for faith in
nonviolence and God's power to right the wrongs of slavery.
Thesis Question: What stimulated Sojourner Truth to want to be
an anti-slavery advocate and what methods did she use?
Thesis Answer: Sojourner Truth became an anti-slavery
advocate (1) in 1826 when she learned that her son, Peter, had
been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. (2) While living in

3. New York, Isabella attended the many camp meetings held
around the city, and she quickly established herself as a
powerful speaker, capable of converting many with (3) a symbol
for faith in nonviolence and God's power to right the wrongs of
slavery.
1. Truth’s son, Peter was illegally sold into slavery in Alabama.
a. Previous to Isabel's leaving her old master, he had sold her
child.
b. The law expressly prohibited the sale of any slave out of
the State
c. minors were to be free at twenty-one years of age
2. Sojourner Truth established herself as powerful speaker
a. Attended camp meetings to help her succeed with her
mission of freedom and nonviolence.
b. Her involvement within the church helped build her
leadership skills and knowledge of being an anti-slavery
advocate and a woman right activist.
3. Faith and nonviolence with the power of GOD.
a. Sojourner Truth decided to walk a spiritual path in which
she couldn’t be violent no matter what type of violence she had
to face.
b. Sojourner Truth was a person who didn’t believe in physical
abuse, fighting words, terroristic acts or the use of weapons; she
practiced and demonstrated nonviolence.
When she was younger, In the evening, when her mother's work
was done, she would sit down under the sparkling vault of
heaven, and calling her children to her, would talk to them
about the only Being that could effectually aid or protect them.
Her teachings were delivered in Low Dutch, as follows:-- My
children, there is a God, who hears and sees you.' 'A God, mau-
mau!
Sentence Outline
Where does he live?' asked the children. 'He lives in the sky,'
she replied; 'and when you are beaten, or cruelly treated, or fall
into any trouble, you must ask help from him, and he will
always hear and help you.' She taught them to kneel and say the

4. Lord's prayer. She entreated them to refrain from lying and
stealing and to strive to obey their masters(Olive, The
Web).Furthermore, she births a child who was illegally sold
under fraudulent acts of her old slave master(Foner, Garraty,
Web). Meanwhile, she encounters happiness with a man she
would, later on, marry and take on a different life with him
standing by her in the fight for freedom for all African
Americans.
Sojourner Truth: The Great Antislavery Advocate
Born into slavery in 1797, Isabella Baumfree, who later changed
her name to Sojourner Truth, would become one of the most
powerful advocates to fight for human rights in the nineteenth
century. In addition, she was separated from her family and sold
several times before ending up on the farm of John and Sally
Dumont. Nevertheless, the conditions for most slaves in the
rural North were the same. Therefore, Isabella lived isolated
from other African Americans. She suffered from physical and
sexual abuse by her enslavers (Olive, The Web). Even though,
her master failed to honor his promise to free her or to uphold
the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827 Isabella ran away. She
later informed her master, by saying “I did not run away, I
walked away by daylight….”. Her spiritual beliefs guided her
through and to her freedom safely.
Isabella became more in-depth with her fight and became a
member of the judicial process and also joined a church that
would help her succeed in her mission for all to be free. Isabella
learns that her pastor is more powerful and well-known than she
thought and all of his teachings is more benefit to her than just
words. Last but not lease, Isabella was forced to leave the city
by those who promise to protect her and keep her safe it was
clear that everything she undertook in the city was now proven
a failure. Finally, Isabella ventured out independently and finds
herself surrounded by people of less intelligence and no form of
ideas but of the same color.
A little previous to Isabel's leaving her old master, he had sold
her child, a boy of five years, to a Dr. Gedney, who took him

5. with him as far as New York city, on his way to England; but
finding the boy too small for his service, he sent him back to his
brother, Solomon Gedney. This man disposed of him to his
sister's husband, a wealthy planter, by the name of Fowler, who
took him to his own home in Alabama. This illegal and
fraudulent transaction had been perpetrated some months before
Isabella knew of it, as she was now living at Mr. Van
Wagener's. The law expressly prohibited the sale of any slave
out of the State,--and all minors were to be free at twenty-one
years of age; and Mr. Dumont had sold Peter with the express
understanding, that he was soon to return to the State of New
York, and be emancipated at the specified time.(Olive, The
Web).
In 1826, Isabella was living with the Van Wagenens, white
Methodists, She had not been there long before her old master,
Dumont, appeared, as she had anticipated; for when she took
French leave of him, she resolved not to go too far from him,
and not put him to as much trouble in looking her up--for the
latter he was sure to do--as Tom and Jack had done when they
ran away from him, a short time before. This was very
considerate in her, to say the least, and a proof that 'like begets
like.' He had often considered her feelings, though not always,
and she was equally considerate.
When her master saw her, he said, 'Well, Bell, so you've
run away from me.' 'No, I did not run away; I walked away by
day-light, and all because you had promised me a year of my
time.' His reply was, 'You must go back with me.' Her decisive
answer was, 'No, I won't go back with you.' He said, 'Well, I
shall take the child.'This also was as stoutly negatived.
Mr. Isaac S. Van Wagener then interposed, saying, he had
never been in the practice of buying and selling slaves; he did
not believe in slavery; but, rather than have Isabella taken back
by force, he would buy her services for the balance of the year--
for which her master charged twenty dollars, and five in
addition for the child. The sum was paid, and her master
Dumont departed; but not till he had heard Mr. Van Wagener

6. tell her not to call him master,--adding, 'there is but one master,
and he who is your master is my master.' Isabella inquired what
she should call him? He answered, 'Call me Isaac Van Wagener,
and my wife is Maria Van Wagener.' Isabella could not
understand this, and thought it a mighty change, as it most truly
was a master whose word was law, to simple Isaac S. Van
Wagener, who was a master to no one. With these noble people,
who, though they could not be the masters of slaves, were
undoubtedly a portion of God's nobility, she resided one year,
and from them she derived the name of Van Wagener; he being
her last master in the eye of the law, and a slave's surname is
ever the same as his master; that is, if he is allowed to have any
other name than Tom, Jack, or Guffin. Slaves have sometimes
been severely punished for adding their master's name to their
own. But when they have no particular title to it, it is no
particular offense.
When she learned that her son, Peter, had been illegally sold
into slavery in Alabama. Previous to Isabel's leaving her old
enslaver, he sold her five-year-old son. This illegal and
fraudulent transaction had been perpetrated some months before
Isabella knew of it. The law expressly prohibited the sale of any
slave out of the State, --and all minors were to be free at
twenty-one years of age; and Mr. Dumont had sold Peter with
the express understanding, that he was soon to return to the
State of New York, and be emancipated at the specified time
(Olive, the Web). An outraged Isabella had no money to regain
her son, but with God, on her side, she said she felt "so tall
within as if the power of a nation was within [her]." She
acquired money for legal fees and filed a complaint with the
Ulster County grand jury. Peter was returned to her in the
spring of 1828, marking the first step in a life of activism
inspired by religious faith (Olive, The Web).
The state of New York, which had begun to negotiate the
abolition of slavery in 1799, emancipated all slaves on July 4,
1827. The shift did not come soon enough for Truth. After John
Dumont reneged on a promise to emancipate Truth in late 1826,

7. she escaped to freedom with her infant daughter, Sophia. Her
other daughter and son stayed behind. Shortly after her escape,
Truth learned that her son Peter, then 5 years old, had been
illegally sold to a man in Alabama. She took the issue to court
and eventually secured Peter's return from the South. The case
was one of the first in which a black woman successfully
challenged a white man in a U. S court.
Sojourner Truth's early years of freedom were marked by
several strange hardships. Having converted to Christianity,
Truth moved with her son Peter to New York City in 1829,
where she worked as a housekeeper for Christian evangelist
Elijah Pierson. She then moved on to the home of Robert
Matthews, also known as Prophet Matthias, for whom she also
worked as a domestic. Matthews had a growing reputation as a
con man and a cult leader. Shortly after Truth changed
households, Elijah Pierson died. Robert Matthews was accused
of poisoning Pierson in order to benefit from his personal
fortune, and the Folgers, a couple who were members of his
cult, attempted to implicate Truth in the crime. In the absence
of adequate evidence, Matthews was acquitted. Having become
a favorite subject of the penny press, he subsequently moved
west. In 1835 Truth brought a slander suit against the Folgers
and won.
While living in New York, Isabella attended the many camp
meetings held around the city, and she quickly established
herself as a powerful speaker, capable of converting many. In
1843, she was "called in spirit" on the day of Pentecost. The
spirit instructed her to leave New York, a "second Sodom," and
travel east to lecture under the name Sojourner Truth.This new
name signified her role as an itinerant preacher, her
preoccupation with truth and justice, and her mission to teach
people "to embrace Jesus, and refrain from sin. After
experiencing a religious conversion, Isabella became an
itinerant preacher and in 1843 changed her name to Sojourner
Truth. During this period, she became involved in the growing
antislavery movement (This far by faith, web). Truth embraced

8. evangelical religion and became involved in moral reform and
abolitionist work. She collected supplies for black regiments
during the Civil War and immersed herself in advocating for
freed people during the Reconstruction period.
Sojourner Truth was a powerful and impassioned speaker whose
legacy of feminism and racial equality still resonates today. She
is perhaps best known for her stirring “Ain’t I a Woman?”
speech, delivered at a women’s convention in Ohio in 1851
(Foner, Garraty, Web). Sojourner Truth first met the abolitionist
Frederick Douglass while she was living at the Northampton
Association. Although he admired her speaking ability,
Douglass was patronizing of Truth, whom he saw as
"uncultured." Years later, however, Truth would use her plain
talk to challenge Douglass. At an 1852 meeting in Ohio,
Douglass spoke of the need for blacks to seize freedom by
force. As he sat down, Truth asked: "Is God gone?" Although
much exaggerated by Harriet Beecher Stowe and other writers,
this exchange made Truth a symbol for faith in nonviolence and
God's power to right the wrongs of slavery. Until old age
intervened, Truth continued to speak passionately on the
subjects of women's rights, universal suffrage, and prison
reform. She was also an outspoken opponent of capital
punishment, testifying before the Michigan state legislature
against the practice.
On June 1, 1843, Isabella Baumfree changed her name to
Sojourner Truth, devoting her life to Methodism and the
abolition of slavery. In 1844, she joined the Northampton
Association of Education and Industry in Northampton,
Massachusetts. Founded by abolitionists, the organization
supported a broad reform agenda including women's rights.
Members lived together on 500 acres as a self-sufficient
community. Truth met a number of leading abolitionists at
Northampton, including William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick
Douglass, and David Ruggles.
Although the Northampton community disbanded in 1846,
Sojourner Truth's career as an activist and reformer was just

9. beginning. In 1850 her memoirs were published under the title
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave. Truth
dictated her recollections to a friend, Olive Gilbert since she
could not read or write, and William Lloyd Garrison wrote the
book's preface. That same year, Truth spoke at the first National
Women's Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. She
soon began touring regularly with abolitionist George
Thompson, speaking to large crowds on the subjects of slavery
and human rights. She was one of the several escaped slaves,
along with Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman, to rise to
prominence as an abolitionist leader and a testament to the
humanity of enslaved people.
In May of 1851, Truth delivered a speech at the Ohio Women's
Rights Convention in Akron. The extemporaneous speech,
recorded by several observers, would come to be known as
"Ain't I a Woman?" The first version of the speech, published a
month later by Marius Robinson, editor of Ohio newspaper The
Anti-Slavery Bugle, did not include the question "Ain't I a
woman?" even once. Robinson had attended the convention and
recorded Truth's words himself. The famous phrase would
appear in print 12 years later, as the refrain of a Southern-
tinged version of the speech. It is unlikely that Sojourner Truth,
a native of New York whose first language was Dutch, would
have spoken in this Southern idiom.
Truth continued to tour Ohio from 1851 to 1853, working
closely with Robinson to publicize the antislavery movement in
the state. As Truth's reputation grew and the abolition
movement gained momentum, she drew increasingly larger and
more hospitable audiences. Even in abolitionist circles, some of
Truth's opinions were considered radical. She sought political
equality for all women and chastised the abolitionist community
for failing to seek civil rights for black women as well as men.
She openly expressed concern that the movement would fizzle
after achieving victories for black men, leaving both white and
black women without suffrage and other key political rights.
Sojourner Truth put her reputation for working during the Civil

10. War, helping to recruit black troops for the Union Army. She
encouraged her grandson, James Caldwell, to enlist in the 54th
Massachusetts Regiment. In 1864, Truth was called to
Washington, D.C., to contribute to the National Freedman's
Relief Association. On at least one occasion, Truth met and
spoke with President Abraham Lincoln about her beliefs and her
experience.
True to her broad reform ideas, Truth continued to agitate for
change even after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. In
1865, Truth attempted to force the desegregation of streetcars in
Washington by riding in cars designated for whites. A major
project of her later life was the movement to secure land grants
from the federal government for former slaves. She argued that
ownership of private property, and particularly land, would give
African Americans self-sufficiency and free them from a kind of
indentured servitude to wealthy landowners. Although Truth
pursued this goal forcefully for many years, she was unable to
sway Congress.
Conclusion
Truth was embraced by a community of reformers including
Amy Post, Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, Lucretia
Mott and Susan B. Anthony—friends with whom she
collaborated until the end of her life, Sojourner Truth died at
her home in Battle Creek, Michigan, on November 26, 1883
(Foner, Garraty, Web).
Works Cited
a. Narrative of Sojourner Truth Truth, Sojourner, d. 1883
Gilbert, Olive 144 p., ill.Boston J. B. Yerrinton and Son,
Printers 1850
b. Sojourner Truth Biography, web
c. Foner Eric and Garraty John A., The Reader’s Companion to
American History, 1991, web.
d. This far by faith, web.
e. Women’s Rights, web.
f. Gilbert Olive, Truth Sojourner,1883