Who Was Sojourner Truth?

Almost 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, Sojourner Truth was mistreated by a streetcar conductor. She took him to court--and won! Before she was Sojourner Truth, she was known simply as Belle. Born a slave in New York sometime around 1797, she was later sold and separated from her family. Even after she escaped from slavery, she knew her work was not yet done. She changed her name and traveled, inspiring everyone she met and sharing her story until her death in 1883 at age eighty-six. In this easy-to-read biography, Yona Zeldis McDonough continues to share that remarkable story.Yona McDonough is the author of What Was the Underground Railroad?, Who Was Rosa Parks?, Who Was John F. Kennedy?, Who Was Louis Armstrong?, Who Was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? and Who Was Harriet Tubman? She lives in New York City.

 

Who Was Sojourner Truth?
 
June 1, 1843
 
The tall woman walked down to the ferry in New York City, paid the fare, and got on.
 
Although the woman was black and had been born a slave, she was now free to come and go as she pleased. When the ride ended, she got off the ferry and began to walk. Soon, the hustle and bustle of the city was far behind her. After a while, she grew thirsty and stopped at a farm to ask for a drink. The woman who gave it to her asked her name. The tall woman thought about this. The only full name she had was a slave name, given to her by her master. She did not want that name anymore. She was starting a new life. She was going to be doing a lot of traveling. And she was going to spread the word of God.
 
So, right then and there she gave herself a new name. She decided to call herself Sojourner Truth, and this is her story.