A Tuesday Tea with Sojourner Truth

[DBF]

She was born a slave in 1797 and in 1864 she was meeting President Abraham Lincoln. This is a story of a remarkable lady who led the charge for equality, not just among the enslaved, but also the women in this country.

Isabella Bomfree was born in Ulster County, New York and was bought and sold four times in her life. When New York passed a law in 1827 abolishing slavery, Isabella was living at the home of a near-by abolitionist family. It was this family who helped her regain her five-year-old son who had been sold into slavery in Alabama.

The following year, while living in New York City she attended religious revivals and by 1843 she declared; "the Spirit called on her to preach the truth". She also changed her name to the woman the world would know as Sojourner Truth.

In 1851 she delivered her most famous speech "Ain't I a Woman". Speaking at the Women's Convention held in Akron, Ohio she began:

"Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?"

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere."

For a woman spending almost thirty years of her life as a slave, she then contrasts her life to those women who weren't:

"Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it"

She spoke of the horrors slaves and especially mothers held in their hearts over the heartbreaking rules of the slave market:

"and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?"

She was known as a charismatic speaker and in one section she interacts with her audience.

"Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?"

Proving she was ready for any argument against her beliefs she concludes:

"Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say." {2}

When she was sixty-seven years old, Sojourner left her home in Battle Creek, Michigan to travel to Washington. She along with Lucy Coleman, an abolitionist friend went to the White House and waited to meet the President. Sojourner described her experience:

"Upon entering his reception room we found about a dozen persons in waiting, among them two coloured women. I had quite a pleasant time waiting until he was disengaged, and enjoyed his conversation with others; he showed as much kindness and consideration to the colored persons as to the white. One case was that of a colored woman who was sick and likely to be turned out of her house on account of her inability to pay her rent. The president listened to her with much attention, and spoke to her with kindness and tenderness." {3}

It must have been an interesting experience as the 6'4" president approached the 6' former slave. Her first words:

"Mr. President, when you first took your seat, I feared you would be torn to pieces like Daniel in the den of lions. Then, if the lions did not tear you into pieces, I knew God would save you and has done so and now I am here to see for myself." {4}

With a final "thank you" for all the president had done when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation the previous year she left, but not before she requested he sign her autograph book. It was a practice she held when she began her public speaking and by 1864, the book was filled with many impressive names. It lacked the one she most desired but as she walked out of the White House she cherished the words he wrote:

"for Aunty Sojourner Truth — Oct. 29, 1864 — A. Lincoln.
I would be pleased to have you call again."



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Sources
1. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sojourner-truth
2. https://tag.rutgers.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Aint-I-woman.pdf
3. https://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.org/residents-visitors/notable-visitors/notable-visitors-sojourner-truth-1797-1883/index.html
4. https://www.farmanddairy.com/columns/when-lincoln-was-thanked-by-sojourner-truth/615812.html

 

[lupaglupa]

Sojourner Truth had a grandson, James Caldwell, who fought with the 54th Massachusetts and was a prisoner at Andersonville. Someday @Gary Morgan and I are going to figure out what happened to him after the war.....

 

[Gary Morgan]

There's a lot of buzz amongst modern historians that a lot of her "Ain't I a Woman?" speech was largely made up later by a newspaper reported. Apparently it differs quite a bit from the accounts of what she said that were written on that day.

And @lupaglupa, I'm not sure we'll ever find out what happened to her grandson after he left Andersonville. My spin on it is going to have to be that no one cared enough about the black soldiers to keep track of him in the records.