Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol

I picked up this book because I was curious to learn more about Sojourner Truth beyond the vague outline I'd picked up: a nineteenth century African-American woman who'd campaigned for an end to slavery and for women's rights, a towering figure known for addressing a white audience with her famous "Ain't I a woman?" speech. And it turns out that preconceptions like that are Nell Irvin Painter is trying to undo with this biography. Painter ably demonstrates that Truth's life has been co-opted and transformed by the need of later writers—feminists, womanists, social justice activists in particular—to create an iconic image of a Strong Black Woman, often by ignoring the documentary evidence about Truth's life. Truth likely never said show more "Ain't I a woman?", but the myth is often more enticing (and less challenging) than the reality. I would actually have liked to have seen more of the book devoted an exploration of that symbolism, and to a dissection of the ways in which even eminent historians of American history like Linda Kerber have fallen prey to the myth-making. However, the space which Painter devotes to the postbellum women's rights movement in the States is very absorbing and makes good use of the sources (though I have to say, as a medievalist, I found Painter's frequent complaints about the paucity of the sources amusing—while it's true that they're fewer than we would like, and there are none from Truth's point of few as she was illiterate, there are still far more things that we know about Truth than we do about the vast majority of medieval European women, regardless of colour or social status.) show less

Sojourner Truth: ex-slave and fiery abolitionist, figure of imposing physique, riveting preacher and spellbinding singer who dazzled listeners with her wit and originality. Straight-talking and unsentimental, Truth became a national symbol for strong black women―indeed, for all strong women. Like Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass, she is regarded as a radical of immense and enduring influence; yet, unlike them, what is remembered of her consists more of myth than of personality.

Now, in a masterful blend of scholarship and sympathetic understanding, eminent black historian Nell Irvin Painter goes beyond the myths, words, and photographs to uncover the life of a complex woman who was born into slavery and died a legend. Inspired by show more religion, Truth transformed herself from a domestic servant named Isabella into an itinerant pentecostal preacher; her words of empowerment have inspired black women and poor people the world over to this day. - from publisher show less

Nell Irvin Painter's work provides two messages: a readable biography and an analysis of how "symbols" function within a culture. Either message is worth the read. Nell is successful at both messages because she is a careful historian and keen observer of human nature.
The life of Sojourner Truth does not fit the stereotyped narrative of the slave story. She was born into slavery in NY state, spoke Dutch as her first language, lived much of her life among the white middle class, established her own identity by a lifetime of speaking out against slavery, oppression of women and, during the reconstruction, in favor of the resettlement of blacks in Kansas. By religious conviction she embraced at least at some level Calvinism, perfectionist show more holiness, Pentecostalism and spiritualism.
This biography is an ironic story of a strong woman who made her own way but became of symbol of something other than what she was. The symbol is still strongly embedded in the mythology of American culture. show less