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Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Summary
One of the most famous and admired African-American women in U.S. history, Sojourner Truth sang, preached, and debated at camp meetings across the country, led by her devotion to the antislavery movement and her ardent pursuit of women's rights. Born into slavery in 1797, Truth fled from bondage some 30 years later to become a powerful figure in the progressive movements reshaping American society.
This remarkable narrative, first published in 1850, offers a rare glimpse into the little-documented world of Northern slavery. Truth recounts her life as a slave in rural New York, her separation from her family, her religious conversion, and her life as a traveling preacher during the 1840s. She also describes her work as a social reformer, counselor of former slaves, and sponsor of a black migration to the West.
A spellbinding orator and implacable prophet, Truth mesmerized audiences with her tales of life in bondage and with her moving renditions of Methodist hymns and her own songs. Frederick Douglass described her message as a "strange compound of wit and wisdom, of wild enthusiasm, and flint-like common sense." This inspiring account of a black woman's struggles for racial and sexual equality is essential reading for students of American history, as well as for those interested in the continuing quest for equality of opportunity.
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Reviews
First published in 1850 to further the cause of the abolition movement, the Narrative of Sojourner Truth is the story of an illiterate former slave from New York born with the name Isabella. She tells of the hardships she and her family endured because of slavery, and of her hard-won emancipation and subsequent itinerant Christian ministry. Isabella changed her name to Sojourner Truth in the early 1840s because she felt called of God to travel the country and preach that people should believe in Jesus and refrain from sin - especially the sin of slavery. While the finer points of her theology were often unorthodox, her zeal for "truth" as she understood it was fervent. Sojourner told her story to a "sympathetic white woman" named Olive Gilbert who faithfully recounted it in this book. The Dover Thrift Edition is 80 pages, with no index, footnotes, or bibliography.
Surely a classic, but not in the Shakespearean sense. It is a unique look into the life of one of millions of American slaves; never to discount her story or trials and tribulations, hers and any other slave's tale is worth documenting. From her childhood, Isabella (aka Sojourner Truth) is at a disadvantage. Only able to speak Dutch; never educated in the modern function of time, be it hours or days; and has no knowledge in money management. Be unlettered, she cannot document her story into an autobiography, rather this book is a dictated biography. Her journey into the realm of religion, from a childlike understanding to a temporary extremism to a metered evangelism, her religiosity juxtaposes against the religious justification many of the slave owners used to keep others in bondage.
I would love to give this book 5 stars, because I would love to give Sojourner 5 stars. But unfortunately the book, is not the woman, and doesn't do a very great job of portraying her life. Only the first half of the book is her actual "Narrative," which unfortunately she leaves a great deal out of, due to reasons which these days seem ludicrous. She did not want to give the horrors of her time in slavery due to thinking that it would be scoffed at as fake, plus being ashamed etc. And she withheld other things saying that they'd injure innocent parties to find those people did such things, which is quite frustrating. And since she had no education and couldn't read or write, she merely dictated to a friend, and as such who knows how much of it was reworded and altered by the friend as they wrote it. But it did give a fair bit of insight as to who the woman was, and what made her tick, and showing how extraordinary she was. In a time when blacks and women had no rights, no nothing, not only did she fiercly stand up for herself and what she felt to be her rights, but she actually took people to court, several times, and she won!! When blacks didn't even have last names, and women were to be seen and not heard, Sjourner Truth took people to court for slandering her name and she won!However, the 2nd half of the book was her "Book of Life," her book(s) of mementos from her travels, articles about her in papers, signatures from friends and dignitaries she met with, was a chore to read through. Once you've read several of the articles, you've essentially read them all, except there's still another 50 or so to read through. It was dull rereading the same rundown over and over again. It would be much nicer if an editor in the future only published a few select articles, and then pulled out any distinct memorable quotes from the rest of them and put those in, rather than all the repetitive articles. And a list of the memorable signitaries would also suffice, rather than reading all the "Sojourner stayed with us on such&such date and gave a speech at such&such place and is such a wonderful lady" etc bits. It was just very dull trite reading. I loved hearing about her, hearing anecdotes from people, hearing about the various jerks she ripped into with her keen intellect, I'd love to hear more of that sort of thing. Unfortunately this book is just very dry. But I would encourage everyone to learn about this fabulous lady.
Fascinating look at a fascinating woman. Looking forward to reading the 1884 edition.
While I had learned her name in history class, I never really knew the story of Sojourner Truth. I had even heard of and listened to a recounting of her most famous speech, "Ain't I a woman?" But I guess I never really understood who she was before.
She was a much more interesting person than I gave her credit for, but I suppose that could be said of most historical figures. There is so much more here than I expected there to be.
She was a much more interesting person than I gave her credit for, but I suppose that could be said of most historical figures. There is so much more here than I expected there to be.