Friday, March 14, 2008

"Ain't I a Woman?", December 1851 speech from Sojourner Truth

This is an excerpt from Sojourner Truth's Speech, "Ain't I a Woman?"
" 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?"
Please answer the questions below in the comment section below:

  1. How were white women treated differently than black women?
  2. Why did all of Sojourner's children leave her?
  3. Describe three feelings you would have if you were separated from your mother.

This text is part of the Internet Modern History Sourcebook. The Sourcebook is a collection of public domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and World history.

11 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:08

    helped into carriage

    lifted over ditches

    have the best place everywhere

    During the time that Sojourner was alive, black women who had children had their children taken from them to be sold as slave. Just like we sell puppies today.

    Aide from feeling extremely sad, I would also feel angry and out of control. I would be angry at the men who treated me like a dog and out f control because I could not dictate where my life is going!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:09

    Nobody ever

    helps me into carriages

    over mud-puddles,

    gives me any best place!

    She had thirteen children and most were sold.

    I would feel sad and mad and scared

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous10:09

    helped into carriages

    lifted over ditches

    Nobody ever

    helps me into carriages



    v

    or





    ould head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work



    gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and



    helped into carriages

    lifted over ditches

    Nobody ever

    helps me into carriages



    v


    sad, depressed,made




    And ain't I a woman?
    she had seen my thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous10:09

    that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.

    All of Sojourner children left her.

    It would be sad,mad and angry.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10:09

    women need to be helped int



    o carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives

    And ain't I a woman?

    All of Sojourner's children left because they all had to get sold into slavery.

    I would be very sad and lonely, I would cry and never want to talk, my feelings would be hurt

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous10:09

    helped into carriages
    lifted over ditches,
    have the best place everywhere

    All of her children were sold to other slave owners.

    furious,melancholy,vengeful

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous10:10

    helped into carriages

    lifted over ditches,

    best place everywhere

    Nobody

    helps

    me into carriages,

    over mud-puddles,

    or

    gives me any best place

    Because her children got sold to
    another person.


    I would feel like a part of me was broken. I would also feel like im not a part of the family id Be with. and i would feel sad!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:10

    Women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere.

    Sojourner Truth's children were cruelly taken from her to be bid on for slavery.

    I would die of sadness and grief. I would be lonely and torn apart.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous10:10

    women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and have the best place everywhere.

    All of Sojourner's children left her because some were sold off the farm.

    It would make me lonely,sad and kind of mad.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:10

    helped into carriages

    have the best place everywhere

    over ditches, and.

    She had thirteen children and there were mostly sold in slavery.

    I would sad some anger lonely.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous10:10

    Women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere

    Her children were sold as slaves.

    I would feel angry, sorrow, and frustration.

    ReplyDelete