The Life and Legacy of Sojourner Truth by Dr. April Patterson
History Matters is an effort we began on February 2015 in order to remember those folks in history that changed our society and cultures forever. Given we began during Black History month, we thought we would begin by paying our respects to the African Americans that helped propel the bounds of racial equality in the United States.
The series will continue throughout the year in hopes of continuing to honor these monumental figures of history. This episode, Dr. April Patterson teaches us about Sojourner Truth.
An ardent activist for black and women's rights, her personal quest for justice, spurred her own word to speak out on behalf of others. Born into slavery to a Dutch family living in New York, she mothered five Children and escaped with her infant daughter in her arms. After her former master illegally sold her son to an Alabama slave owner, she brought him to court and successfully fought for his return. She soon toured the country giving inspirational speeches and recruiting troops for the Union army. Today, a bronze statue of her bust stands in a position of honor in the US Capitol- the first time a black woman has received this recognition. She's Sojourner Truth and what she did matters.
