African-American abolitionist and women’s rights advocate Sojourner Truth (born Isabella Baumfree) was born into slavery in New York in 1797. In 1826, she escaped to freedom with her infant daughter. In 1843 she changed her name to Sojourner Truth, becoming devoted to Methodism and the abolition of slavery. She is perhaps best known for the speech she gave on racial inequality and womens rights, “Ain’t I a Woman?“, delivered at the Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in 1851.

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“Dat man ober dar say dat womin needs to be helped into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to hab de best place everywhar. Nobody eber helps me into carriages, or ober mud-puddles, or gibs me any best place!” And raising herself to her full height, and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunders, she asked “And a’n’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at me! Look at my arm! (and she bared her right arm to the shoulder, showing her tremendous muscular power). I have ploughed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And a’n’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear de lash a well! And a’n’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen chilern, and seen ’em mos’ all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And a’n’t I a woman?