Ain't I a Woman?

I have recently started attending a new church that has a mostly white membership. Now, I am no stranger to worshiping with my fairer skinned brothers and sisters - I've been doing it since I was 13 years old - but I have to tell you that in all of my years, no decades, of church attendance that this is the first predominately white church I have gone to that actually made an attempt to recognize Black History Month. For the entire month of February(and one Sunday in March), two pages of the bulletin were devoted to an important figure in black history. This Sunday's bulletin focused on Sojourner Truth, an abolitionist and women's rights activist. In 1851, Truth spoke at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, where she delivered her famous speech "Ain't I a Woman?". I'm sure we all read this back in high school, but the speech is so moving that I thought it deserved a second look.



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

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?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what this they call it? (member of the audience whispers "intellect") That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or Negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours hold a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

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? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

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

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say."