Ain't I A Woman?

In 1863, twelve years after the original speech, Frances Dana Gage published her enhanced version in the
Anti-Slavery Standard (May 2, 1863). Gage opens her account with a description of the Women's Rights
Convention in Akron, Ohio, at which she was the presiding officer.

Gage's expanded description of the speech, and the impact it had upon the convention, appeared less than a
month after Harriet Beecher Stowe published her article, "Libyan Sibyl," in the Atlantic Monthly. Together,
these two highly romanticized views of Sojourner Truth helped to create the public image of the ex-slave --
an image which still endures today.

The leaders of the movement trembled upon seeing a tall, gaunt black woman in a gray dress and white
turban, surmounted with an uncouth sunbonnet, march deliberately into the church, walk with the air of a
queen up the aisle, and take her seat upon the pulpit steps. A buzz of disapprobation was heard all over the
house, and there fell on the listening ear, "An abolition affair!" "Woman's rights and niggers!" "I told you
so!" "Go it, darkey!"

I chanced on that occasion to wear my first laurels in public life as president of the meeting. At my request
order was restored and the business of the Convention went on. Morning, afternoon, and evening exercises
came and went. ... Again and again, timorous and trembling ones came to me and said, with earnestness,
"Don't let her speak, Mrs. Gage, it will ruin us. Every newspaper in the land will have our cause mixed up
with abolition and niggers and we shall be utterly denounced." My only answer was, "We shall see when the
time comes."

The second day the work waxed warm. Methodist, Baptist, Episcopal, Presbyterian, and Universalist
ministers came in to hear and discuss the resolutions presented. One claimed superior rights and privileges
for man, on the grounds of "superior intellect"; another, because of the "manhood of Christ; if God had
desired the equality of woman, He would have given some token of His will through the birth, life and death
of the Saviour." Another gave us a theological view of the "sin of the first mother."

There were very few women in those days who dared to "speak in meeting" and the august teachers of the
people were seemingly getting the best of us, while the boys in the galleries, and the sneerers among the
pews, were hugely enjoying the discomfiture, as they supposed of the "strong-minded" ... When, slowly
from her seat in the corner rose Sojourner Truth, who till now had scarcely lifted her head. "Don't let her
speak!" gasped half a dozen in my ear. She moved slowly and solemnly to the front, laid her old bonnet at
her feet, and turned her great speaking eyes to me. There was a hissing sound of disapprobation above and
below. I rose and announced "Sojourner Truth," and begged the audience to keep silence for a few
moments.

The tumult subsided at once, and every eye was fixed on this almost Amazon form, which stood nearly six
feet high, head erect, and eyes piercing the upper air like one in a dream. At her first word there was a
profound hush. She spoke in deep tones, which, though not loud, reached every ear in the house, and away
through the throng at the doors and windows.

There are two version of the speech: one written to imitate how Sojourner actually spoke and one
translated into more regular English. Read each one more than once to fully understand her argument.

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 Speech Written to imitate Sojourner Truths Natural Way Re-told by Frances Dana Gage in1863
Wall, chilern, whar dar is so much racket dar must be somethin' out o' kilter. I tink dat 'twixt de nigger of de
Souf and de womin at de Norf, all talkin' 'bout rights, de white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's
all dis here talkin' 'bout?

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 halps me into carriages, or ober mudpuddles, or gibs me any best place!

And raising herself to her full height, and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked,

And ar'n't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! [And here 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 ar'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 as well! And ar'n't' I a woman? I have borne thirteen chilern *, and seen 'em mos'
all sold off the slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ar'n't I a
woman?

"Den dey talks 'bout dis ting in de head; what dis dey call it?" "Intellect," whispered someone near. "Dat's it,
honey. What's dat got to do wid womin's rights or nigger's rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yourn
holds a quart, wouldn't ye be mean not to let me have my little half-measure full?" And she pointed her
significant finger, and sent a keen glance at the minister who had made the argument. The cheering was
long and loud.

"Den dat little man in black dar, he say women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wan't a
woman! Whar did your Christ come from?" Rolling thunder couldn't have stilled that crowd, as did those
deep, wonderful tones, as she stood there with outstretched arms and eyes of fire. Raising her voice still
louder, she repeated, "Whar did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothin' to do
wid Him." Oh, what a rebuke that was to the little man.

Turning again to another objector, she took up the defense of Mother Eve, I cannot follow her through it all.
It was pointed and witty, and solemn; eliciting at almost every sentence deafening applause; and she ended
by asserting, "If de fust woman God ever made was strong enough to turn de world upside down all alone,
dese women togedder [and she glanced her eye over the platform] ought to be able to turn it back, and get it
right side up again! And now dey is asking to do it, de men better let 'em." Long continued cheering greeted
this. "Bleeged to ye for hearin' on me, and now ole Sojourner han't got nothin' more to say."

Amid roars of applause, she returned to her corner, leaving more than one of us with streaming eyes, and
hearts beating with gratitude. She had taken us up in her strong arms and carried us safely over the slough
of difficulty, turning the whole tide in our favor. I have never in my life seen anything like the magical
influence that subduued the mobbish spirit of the day, and turned the sneers and jeers of an excited crowd
into notes of respect and admiration. Hundreds rushed up to shake hands with her, and congratulate the
glorious old mother, and bid her God-speed on her mission of "testifyin' agin concerning the wickedness of
this 'ere people."

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 The Translation of Sojourner Truths Speech, 1851

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that

'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,

5 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

10 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's this they call it? [member of 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 holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my

15 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? 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,

20 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.

MLA Citation:

Truth, Sojourner. Modern History Sourcebook: Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman?, December 1851.

Fordham University. Aug 1997. Web. 15 Aug 2003.

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