Sojourner Truth was an ignorant former slave who stood up to oppression. He remained illiterate his entire life, for 86 years, but still managed to put his name in the history books. She was an abolitionist and black freedom activist. Truth was an important figure in black history. He gathered supplies for black regiments during the Civil War, defended freed people during Reconstruction, and much more. In the following paragraphs we will examine his accomplishments, the hardships he faced, and how this wonderful human being influenced other people's lives and black history. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay Sojourner Truth went through many hardships as a child because she was a black woman. Born Isabella Baumfree around 1797 into a slave family, she was auctioned off with a flock of sheep for $100 when its owner died in 1806. Isabella was sold to numerous owners, one after another crueler than the first . Raised in Dutch-settled Ulster County, Isabella couldn't speak a word of English until she was 9 years old. She was whipped, beaten and even subjected to sexual abuse because she was unable to speak English. She was sold to John Dumont in 1810. While Dumont was relatively kind to Baumfree, his wife, Elizabeth Dumont, disliked Isabella. He made life difficult for Isabella. In 1811, Isabella met and fell in love with another slave named Robert. Robert's owner forbade them to visit each other. He didn't want property he had no right to claim. One day, Robert's owner and his son followed Robert when he sneaked out to visit Isabella. They beat him savagely and dragged him away. Isabella's lover was never seen again. Isabella's mother, Elizabeth Baumfree, once told her a quote that she considered "the light on my path after faith." “Once you experience pain in the beginning, whether it's a heartbreak or a major loss, eventually God makes things easy for the survivor.” The quote spoke to Isabella as she accomplished many things in her life that helped her become a historical figure. Sojourner Truth took her childhood experiences as motivation to make sure other Black Americans didn't go through what she did. His faith, kindness and determination helped accomplish things that helped shape Black history. In 1817, New York State granted freedom to slaves, but they could only leave New York for Michigan in 1827. During that time, Isabella had five children with another slave named Thomas. They were Giacomo, who died 13 months after his birth, Pietro, Elisabetta and Sofia. After waiting ten years to be free, Baumfree discovered that the Dumonts were plotting to keep her enslaved. He then took his little girl Sophia and ran away, leaving the rest of his family behind. Shortly after his escape, he discovered that his son Peter had been illegally sold to a man in Alabama by Dumont. He took this to court and won his son back. By winning, she became one of the first black women to win a lawsuit against a white man. She then moved to New York City with her son, where she worked as a housekeeper for Christian evangelist Elijah Pierson. Some time later he converted to Christianity. This, as Isabella says, was one of the "best choices I've ever made." On June 1, 1843, Isabella Baumfree changed her name to Sojourner Truth, dedicating her life to Methodism and the abolition of slavery. He helped recruit black troops for the Union Army?.