Born and raised as an enslaved African American woman, Sojourners Truth’s life significantly influenced the massive development in the United States. The abolitionist and a strong human rights activist traveled across America denouncing oppressors and slavery and highly advocating for women’s entitlement, their freedom, lady’s suffrage, and temperance. The women, particularly the black women, had to be heard and led to their presence in the government leadership. Her famous speech ‘Ain’t I a Woman’ gave women the power to be allowed to vote (Painter, 1996). The black men were on the same equal footing as the white men, leaving the African-American females without a voice in society. Upon meeting President Abraham Lincoln, Truth led to the appreciation and presentation of black women in the government projects. For instance, the Mars rover constructed by NASA was named ‘Sojourner’ after her to showcase how honesty and liberty are powerful in acquiring societal equality. Due to such, the country has become a slavery-free acknowledging multiculturalism.
Such measures resulted in the development of the US as it led to the fourteenth and fifteenth constitutional amendments (Painter, 1996). At the same time, the citizenship rights, apportionment, civil war debt, and equal protection were enhanced in the United States, giving all the communities a chance toward America’s social, political, and economic growth. The enslaved people had to be recognized for the advancement of the United States as they worked on the farms, roads, and railway works. The life of Truth was to be emulated and integrated into the educational and administrative institutions for equality to be attained. Her life ended white supremacy and integrated people with knowledge and skills into government institutions, resulting in the massive development of the nation.
During her time, people viewed her as an illiterate black evangelist whose purpose was to confuse the community. The white enslaved individuals and the black men did not fully support her despite being so active in suffrage meetings. What she advocated for was regarded as a myth, which could not be achieved in the United States as the African-American ladies were to be oppressed and serve their masters (Painter, 1996). The negative mentality of humans made them not support her perceptions towards attaining equality in society. Sojourners Truth was not their heroine as non-educated people lacked scholarly knowledge of the country’s welfare. For example, after the assassination of Lincoln in 1865, most confederate southern states passed black codes reproducing slavery, whereby the majority of the African-American men and women became murdered and raped (Painter, 1996). Therefore, individuals saw her as a futurist whose human activism movement was a mere fantasy across the United States.
Like Harriet Tubman, people currently view Truth as the source of democracy. Her activists resulted in the emergence of human rights movements geared towards female emancipation in America. Individuals perceive her as the woman who led to acknowledging women’s predicaments in the community and how equality can be achieved, like having women’s suffrage (Painter, 1996). In the 21 century, without role models like her, women would have continued being enslaved and serving under the authority of men without spearheading their voices. Due to that, citizens judge her as a symbol of hope, hard work, and persistence and how women can positively change society. Even though female equality through representation has improved, people continue borrowing her tactics to ensure an advanced country, giving total freedom to all individuals.
Reference
Painter, N. I. (1996). Sojourner Truth: A life, a symbol. WW Norton & Company.