How did Sojourner Truth Die

-by Ishita Mondal

–Reading Time – 7 min Approx

–Edited by – Srishti Bhattacharyya

The year was 1851. The special Women’s Rights Convention was going on in Akron, Ohio. Many eminent speakers gave excellent speeches in front of the audience, receiving massive applause and appreciation. All of a sudden, a woman had appeared on the stage. Not so gorgeous yet with a determined personality, the woman started giving her speech on anti-slavery. The audience was stunned. So inspiring and fiery was her speech that none of them remembered to clap. There was complete silence amidst which her firm voice was announcing its existence.

The lady who had the power to silence the world with her words was none other than Sojourner Truth. Those who are well-acquainted with the history of the anti-slavery movement may know her name. Often, questions like “How did Sojourner Truth die” come up. But why? What’s so significant about her life? Why is her death a matter of discussion? To know answers to these questions, we have to go back to the time when she was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York. Let’s learn about the journey of Sojourner Truth.

Who was Sojourner Truth – The Early Life:

As per the available record, Sojourner Truth’s birth date was in 1797. Her hometown, a big hilly area called Sawrtelill, was located in the town of Esopus, New York. If you go nearly 95 miles to the north of New York City, you can easily find this place. Charles Hardenbergh was the man who bought the parents of Truth as slaves. Truth was born as Isabella “Belle” Baumfree to James and Elizabeth Baumfree.

In 1806, when Hardenbergh died, Isabella was sold to John Neely with a flock of sheep for $100 near Kingston, New York. Although her first language was Dutch, she started learning English from this time. She had developed good English speaking skills with a Dutch accent. In her reminiscences, she described how Neely used to beat and abuse her. Later, she was again sold to John Dumont in West Park, New York, in 1810. The real struggle of her life started from here. John abused her sexually again and again and his wife also tortured her now and then.

In 1815, her life took a new shift. She met Robert, another slave from a neighboring firm. And she fell in love with him. However, it ended in despair. Robert’s owner did not accept the relationship. He was beaten to death by his owner for going to meet Truth. The experience was so terrific that it kept disturbing her throughout her entire life.

She, later on, described how she was brutally raped and abused throughout her life. Her speeches reflected the agony of her life. Her active participation in the anti-slavery movement depicted her determination to find light from the odds of life. Very few people are born on the Earth who can announce their supremacy over life, overcoming the odds. She was one of them. However, later on, she was married to another enslaved man named Thomas. The couple had three children named Peter, Elizabeth, and Sophia. Before that, she had birthed many other children during her slavery days as she was raped.

How did Sojourner Truth Die – The Days of Freedom:

To delve into the details of “how did Sojourner Truth die” we have to ponder over the days when she got her much-awaited freedom. These days tell that her life is not destined to be limited to slavery. If someone asked “who was Sojourner Truth”, the answer would be incomplete without the mention of these days. From 1799, a massive uproar against slavery had started in New York. But till 1827, the anti-slavery law was not established. Tired of Dumont’s brutal torture and harassment, she finally escaped with her little daughter Sophia. She could not take her other daughters with her as they were not legally free from slavery as per the emancipation law.

She got shelter at the house of Isaac and Maria Van Wagenen in New Paltz. They bought her from Dumont for the remaining days until the emancipation law was implemented. With their help, she freed her son, Peter. He was sold illegally by Dumont. Thus, she started a new life as a free individual.

How did Sojourner Truth Die – The Religious Intervention:

Isabella gave herself the name of Sojourner Truth once she believed that all her journey was destined to serve God. During her stay at the house of Wagenens, she had religious experiences that changed her life completely. Eventually, she became an ardent devotee of Jesus Christ. In the year 1843, she became a Methodist, a believer of the denominations of Protestant Christianity based on the life and belief of John Wesley. The name Sojourner Truth depicts her belief that God has chosen her to preach the truth. She stated, “The Spirit calls me, I must go”.

She then initiated her journey for the anti-slavery movement. She traveled from place to place, crossed countries to fulfill her mission. She joined several organizations, including the Northampton Association of Education and Industry in Florence, Massachusetts. It was a women’s rights organization founded by abolitionists. Later on, she moved forward, associating herself with many other groups and organizations. She started sharing her memories with her close friends. And gradually, with the help of William Lloyd Garrison published her book, titled “The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave”.

Sojourner Truth and Her Speeches:

If you are interested in knowing how Sojourner Truth died, you must have a clear idea about her activities and speeches. If she did not come forward and speak, tearing the chain of enslavement, she would have died in some ordinary way like her other fellow slaves. Through her speeches, she raised her voice against all the wrongs she experienced in her life. Thus, from an enslaved individual, she became the inspiration of many.

In 1850, she gave a speech at the first National Women’s Rights Convention in Worcester, Massachusetts. In the next year, she joined George Thompson on a lecture tour across the states of New York. She had also attended the Women’s Rights Convention held in Akron, Ohio. There she delivered the best speech of her life. The speech was called “Ain’t I a Woman?”

“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 – 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?”

The above-mentioned paragraph is just a part of her speech. You can feel the spark of determination and self-confidence in her speech, as well as the wrath of a woman who stood up on her own feet even after being tortured. Life is never a bed of roses, but for her, the thorns were a bit more than anybody else. Still, she didn’t give up. These are the reasons why questions like “how did Sojourner Truth die” are so popular. People want to learn every bit of her life, even her death. So, let’s know how the life of the great lady ended.

How did Sojourner Truth Die – The End of her Life:

In her last days of life, she was cared for by her two daughters. She took her last breath early in the morning on November 26, 1883, at her own home in Battle Creek. Few days before her demise, a reporter from Grand Rapids Eagle had interviewed her. He described the condition of Truth in his words. As per his description, Sojourner Truth’s face was drawn and shrunken. Her face reflected the pain she was suffering. Still, she owned a pair of bright eyes even if she could not talk. The description tells how wonderful her personality was. She died out of illness. But, if we look at her religious inclination towards life, the explanation for her death would be different. It seemed that it was not an ordinary death. She believed that she was assigned tasks by the Godly spirit. As per the belief, we can consider her death as the final clarion call from God. It seems that God called her back as her assigned task was over.

However, on November 28, 1883, two days after her death, her funeral took place at the Congregational-Presbyterian Church. Then, Sojourner Truth, the famous abolitionist and women’s rights activist, was buried in the City’s Oak Hill Cemetery. That is how Sojourner Truth had died.

Last but Not the Least:

Today, women enjoy a handful of rights and privileges. But all of these came from the hard-works done by the gems like Sojourner Truth. She is truly the embodiment of women’s empowerment. Her life story is enough to motivate thousands of people. Honoring her contribution to the Women’s Rights Movement and Anti-Slavery Movements, many statues and memorials were erected. You can see them at different places, including Michigan, Ohio, New York, California, and so on. Now, at this moment, if you feel burdened by the struggles in life, read the life history of Truth. Your burden will surely seem easy to bear!

-by Ishita Mondal

Dear Reader, Hope you liked the post. If you think our initiative “The Creative Post” is worth supporting, then please support us by paying the amount you think we are worthy of. We believe, the value of content should be decided by the consumer. Hence we request you to evaluate our worth and pay accordingly by Clicking Here.