Coordinate: (-1,3)
Reasoning: Sojourner Truth is commonly known for the fictional speech “Ain’t I a Woman” penned by Frances Scott Gage in 1863, 12 years after the original speech was given at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, OH. Many people have used that speech as a way of immortalizing Sojourner Truth’s contributions to the Women’s rights movement. I rated Sojourner a -1 in the radicalness of her Methods because although there is something radical in her selling the cards with her person on them in an effort to not only make money, but to show the humanity and femininity in her Black womanhood, the way her fictional speech takes center stage in the way most Americans remember docks her a few points.
Born Isabella Baumfree in upstate New York in 1797, Truth was sold from her parents at the age of 11 for $100 and a herd of sheep. Growing up speaking Dutch, when sold to the English Dumonts she was severely beaten for not understanding what was being said to her. After suffering for years under the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse (often under the hands of Mrs. Dumont) Baumfree ran away and changed her name to Sojourner Truth after being taken in by the Van Wagemans.
Sojourner Truth became radicalized when she was about submit herself back into the hands of Dumont (Painter 29). Truth was overtaken by a vision and the voice of God and placed a lot of her faith in Jesus rather than the white men who often tried to interpret the bible. I place Truths ideas at a 3 on the scale because she was thinking in a way that, while contained religious undertones, was very clear about the way God was on the side of all oppressed people, and especially Black people and women. Once this radical transformation in thought occurred, Truth traveled the country to spread her ideas. Her original speech shows that not only was she quite eloquent, but there is a large portion that touches on her spirituality that the version Gage released does not include at all.
Truth was a fighter for women’s rights and a fierce abolitionist, ideas that were radical for her time period. While her methods of oration and photo cards weren’t the most radical we have seen so far, her ability to command a crowd and see the worth and beauty within herself are notable.
Check out the Sojourner Truth Project reading the original speech while the Gage version scrolls by. What differences do you notice?