LAD #17

LAD #17: Sojourner Truth's "Ain't I a Woman" Speech

Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York State, which is ironic considering the North was typically classified as having “anti-slave” states. Eventually, after gaining her freedom in 1827, she became widely acknowledged as a public speaker who speaks out against slavery. She was well-known for her “Ain’t I a Woman” speech, which was delivered at the Women's Convention in Akron, Ohio, on May 29, 1851. Originally, it was not by any one specific title. The speech attracted a lot of publicity in 1863, during the American Civil War, when Frances Dana Barker Gage published a different version. Said version being the one that became known as “Ain't I a Woman?” due to its very controversial question. Later on, it became recognized and a more readily available version, which was to be referred to by many, in fact most historians. In Sojourner’s speech, she spoke on the rather touchy subjects regarding the inequalities and mistreatment that women and blacks faced at that time in America. She declared and supported the idea that men should treat all women the same, in saying, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place, and ain't I a woman?” Sojourner Truth wanted to challenge the idea regarding the general conception of womanhood in front of the audience. She believed the term should be broadened to include black women as well. She also proclaimed that all woman deserve to be treated well by all other no matter the race or gender.

This is a picture of Rosa parks, famous for standing up for both women and blacks' rights by sitting on the bus despite what the white people ordered her to do.