Sojourner Truth Speech Analysis
By Nicolas Haldeman
Who was Sojourner Truth?
Sojourner Truth was an African-American former slave turned abolitionist and women's rights activist.
What was her speech?
Sojourner Truth gave a speech to the American Equal Rights Association on May 9th, 1867 in New York City. She advocated that women receive the same rights and freedoms as black and white men. Her main arguments included pointing out that since enslaved black women had to do the same labor as enslaved black men, that they should be treated equally when it comes to rights such as voting and payment.
"So I am for keeping the thing going while things are stirring; because if we wait till it is still, it will take a great while to got it going again…"
Her second argument was that black women should not let things settle down before fighting for their rights too. The longer they wait, the harder it would be in the future to start a social change to obtain their rights and freedoms.
In conclusion...
Sojourner Truth used her sufferings and experiences as a motivation to advocate for equal rights for free men and women. Her words and dedication were met with cheers and support as a step forward in the right direction.