Sojourner Truth quotes

Sojourner Truth was an African American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Born into slavery, she escaped to freedom and became a powerful speaker against injustice. She inspired generations with her courage and dedication to equality. Here are 22 of her quotes:

I'm not going to die, I'm going home like a shooting star.

Sojourner Truth

Sisters, I ain't clear what you be after. If women want any rights more than they's got, why don't they just take them, and not be talking about it?

Sojourner Truth

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, the women together ought to be able to turn back and get it right side up again! and now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Sojourner Truth

Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

Sojourner Truth

But then there came another rush of love through my soul, an' I cried out loud,- 'Lord, Lord, I can love even de white folks!

Sojourner Truth

Honey, I jes' walked round an' round in a dream. Jesus loved me! I knowed it - I fel it. Jesus was my Jesus. Jesus would love me always. I did n't dare tell nobody; it was a great secret. Everything had been got away from me that I ever had; an' I thought that ef I let white folks know about this, maybe they'd get him away - so I said, 'I'll keep this close. I wont let any one know.

Sojourner Truth

Well, children, when there is so much racket there be must something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the Negroes of the South and the women of the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?

Sojourner Truth

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman?

Sojourner Truth

I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Sojourner Truth

It is the mind that makes the body.

Sojourner Truth

I feel safe in the midst of my enemies, for the truth is all powerful and will prevail.

Sojourner Truth

Then I will speak upon the ashes.

Sojourner Truth

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?

Sojourner Truth

That little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Jesus Christ wasn't a woman!

Sojourner Truth

Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

Sojourner Truth

Religion without humanity is very poor human stuff.

Sojourner Truth

We do as much, we eat as much, we want as much.

Sojourner Truth

The rich rob the poor and the poor rob one another.

Sojourner Truth

It was only after the development of the Negro women's club movement that feminist consciousness first appeared among black women, and here, too, it is an exceptional attitude rather than a pervasive one. One must note here the single exception, the strong feminism of Sojourner Truth, who was distinctly a forerunner and whose ideas were not shared by black women of her day.

Sojourner Truth