LAID Black History Month Hero of the Day – Sojourner Truth

Born Isabella Baumfree in 1797, Truth was born into slavery to the Baumfree family in Swartekill, Ulster County, New York.

Truth’s time as a slave is poorly documented, despite her work as an abolitionist regularly drawing on her own negative experiences. However, what we do know is that she was sold three times in 4 years between 1806 and 1810.

It would take another 16 years before Truth would escape, with her Infant Daughter Sophia, in which she did during 1826; a year before New York State enacted the Emancipation Act.

Sadly, Truth had to leave her other children behind because they were not legally freed in the emancipation order until they had served as bound servants into their twenties. She later said “I did not run off, for I thought that wicked, but I walked off, believing that to be all right.”

It would later emerge in 1827 that her previous owner, John Dumont had illegally sold her five year old son into slavery. Requiring legal help, Truth sought the expertise of the Van Wagenen …Read the Rest

Source:: Legally Armed in Detroit