Francis E. Harper and Sojourner lived and inspired the lives of many during the time when black people were deemed to be slaves in the 19th century. Although both women were born in different areas in the United States, they had a lot of similarities that can be seen from their antislavery movements across several cities. Both had a strong link to religion, and constantly used it to air their grievances when women were highly discriminated against and could not be allowed to speak in public.
Harper is an author of four novels and a variety of poetry works including numerous stories and poems that were not published. She is one of the most renowned prolific African writers in history. Most of her novels and poetry works focused on issues that were affecting contemporary society towards the end of the 19th century. She was a staunch Christian and most of her writing engaged biblical teachings to illustrate various issues that affected society. She was born in Baltimore in 1825 which was by then a slave state, and studied at a school owned by her uncle. Her uncle was a writer and significantly inspired her to write. As she grew up, she engaged and devoted herself to radical politics and religion.
Harper was an orator and widely traveled throughout numerous cities in the United States to spread antislavery crusades. Apart from the antislavery movement, Harper also engaged in poetry and novel writing where she channeled most of her opinions and ideas that she could not present in the public. Harper protested against slavery and proposed Christian living as a means through which such atrocities could end. During her lifetime, she advocated for equal rights between men and women and other marginalized groups within the society. Despite being a devoted Christian, Harper participated in the struggle to liberate the blacks from slavery. She organized antislavery missions across Canada and New England when the blacks were highly forbidden to travel and women were not allowed to speak in public.
Sojourner was a leading advocate of emancipation from slavery and women’s oppression in the middle of the 19th century. She propagated her message through what was famously referred to as the Sojourner truth. She was a strong activist pushing for the antislavery movement. She singled her identity and labeled herself as “I am what I am”. Sojourner compared herself with Moses who abandoned his identity and went on a mission to liberate the people of Israel. Sojourner also distanced herself from her identity and believed she had a mission from God to liberate the slaves in the United States. She was born in Ulster County, in 1927, New York, in a family but later she was sold to owners who constantly exploited her. Sojourner was able to deliver a fiery speech and denounced slavery as an abomination of the American nation to God. She worked relentlessly on the human rights front in various activist movements in the United States, and recruited black troops to champion their rights.
There are many similarities that can be drawn between Harper and Sojourner. The first similarity is that both of them were not brought up by their biological parents. Harper was orphaned when she was three years old while Sojourner was sold when she was a child. Both women were born almost at the same time. The main similarity is that they were both strong and brave and took extraordinary measures to ensure that they liberated the black people from slavery. Under various circumstances, both women were forced to move to different cities to condemn slavery and discrimination of women in society. One of the most common aspects evident in Harper and Sojourner is that both were staunch Christians and aired their grievances in line with Christian doctrines. However, they were both radical and used force to mobilize the blacks and condemn the oppression from the whites in several instances. Harper and Sojourner had good mobilization skills and gathered crowds of people to air their grievances. Both women were passionate and were pushed by the desire to emancipate the marginalized groups in society. On several occasions, they mobilized people in various cities and raised funds for various suffering groups in society. The main feature that helped Harper and Sojourner to articulate their grievances at a time when the blacks were highly restricted by law to speak in public is that they had oratory skills and were able to give fiery speeches condemning the injustices and the marginalization of women in society.
Harper and Sojourner focused on horrific issues that affected society throughout their lives. They fought against slavery and the marginalization of women in society. Harper is a novelist and a poet who used a style that enticed the attention of readers, and incorporated biblical teaching to condemn the atrocities that were experienced in society. On the other hand, Sojourner could not read and write but was prudent in speech and was able to deliver strong speeches condemning atrocities that affected the blacks in the 19th century. Sojourner used a unique style of speech where she integrated examples from the Bible to propagate her crusade.
Although both Harper and Sojourner had many similarities, there are various contrasts that can be drawn from them. Harper was a prolific novelist and a poet using her writing to condemn slavery and the marginalization of women in society. On the other hand, Sojourner could not read and write, but she had a vast knowledge of the Bible and various issues that affected society. She had a unique capability in delivering a speech and thus used a fiery message to condemn various atrocities that affected society, and advocated for gender equality.