In early 1828, Sojourner Truth approached the Grand Jury of Kingston, New York. She had no experience with the legal system, no money, and no power in the eyes of the court. Ignoring the jury’s scorn, Truth said she was there to fight for custody of her five-year-old son Peter, who’d been illegally sold to an enslaver in Alabama. As the trial played out over the next several months, Truth raised funds, strategized with lawyers, and held her faith. Finally in the spring of 1828, Peter was returned to her care— but Truth’s work was far from over. She would dedicate the rest of her life to pursuing justice and spiritual understanding.
1828 年初,索杰纳·特鲁斯 来到纽约州金斯顿陪审团。 她对司法制度不甚了解, 在法庭看来,她人微言轻。 但她无视陪审团的蔑视, 一心为夺回 被非法贩卖到阿拉巴马州, 5 岁的儿子彼得的监护权而抗争。 数月后庭审结束, 期间特鲁斯自筹资金, 与律师制定策略, 并且坚守信念。 1828 年春天, 彼得终于回到了她的身边 —— 但特鲁斯的使命远不止于此。 她将用余生捍卫正义 和宗教包容。
Truth was born into slavery as Isabella Baumfree in the late 18th century in Ulster County, New York. Although New York state had announced the abolition of slavery in 1799, the emancipation act was gradual. Those who were currently enslaved were forced to serve a period of indentured servitude until their mid-20s.
在 18 世纪晚期的 纽约州阿尔斯特县, 特鲁斯一出生就成为了奴隶, 原名伊莎贝拉·鲍姆弗里。 尽管纽约州于 1799 年 已经宣布废除奴隶制, 但废奴过程却进展缓慢。 那些现有的奴隶们, 仍需被迫执行奴役契约 直至 25 岁左右。
Throughout this period, enslavers repeatedly sold Baumfree, tearing her from her loved ones. Often, she was explicitly prevented from pursuing new relationships. Eventually, she married an enslaved man named Thomas, with whom she had three children. She was desperate to keep her new family together— but the slow progress of abolition threatened this hope. Baumfree’s enslaver, John Dumont, had promised to free her by 1826. When he failed to keep his word, Baumfree fled for her safety. During the escape, she was only able to rescue her youngest daughter Sophia, while her other children remained in bondage. It would be two years before she regained custody of Peter. After that, she would wait another two years before she saw any of her other children.
在此期间, 奴隶主曾多次出售鲍姆弗利, 强迫她与亲人分开。 通常,她被明令禁止恋爱婚嫁。 然而最后, 她嫁给了一个叫托马斯的奴隶, 并养育了三个孩子。 她不顾一切维系家庭的完整—— 但缓慢的废除进程 威胁着这一希望。 鲍姆弗利的奴隶主,约翰·杜蒙, 承诺于 1826 年释放她。 然而他却言而无信。 为了自己的安全,鲍姆弗利逃走了。 逃亡期间,她只救出了 小女儿索菲亚, 而她的其他孩子仍被奴役着。 这是她获得彼得 监护权的两年前。 之后,她还需要再等两年 才能见到她其他的孩子。
During this time, Baumfree found solace in her faith and became increasingly dedicated to religious reflection. After settling in Kingston, New York, she joined a Methodist community that shared her political views. She continued her practice of speaking aloud to God in private, and one night, her evening prayers took on even more sacred significance. Baumfree claimed to hear the voice of God, telling her to leave Kingston, and share her holy message with others. Though she never learned to read or write, Baumfree became known as an electrifying orator, whose speeches drew on Biblical references, spiritual ideals, and her experience of slavery. Her sermons denounced the oppression of African Americans and women in general, and became prominent in campaigns for both abolition and women’s rights. In 1843, she renamed herself Sojourner Truth and embarked on a legendary speaking tour.
在此期间,鲍姆弗利 在信仰中找到了安慰 并逐渐专注于宗教反思。 定居纽约金斯顿后, 她加入了与她有着 共同政治主张的卫理公会。 她私下不停地练习 对上帝大声说话, 一天晚上,她的祷告更具神圣的意义。 鲍姆弗利声称听到了上帝的声音, 让她离开金斯顿, 向人们昭示神的旨意。 鲍姆弗利目不识丁, 但她逐渐以一位慷慨激昂的 演说家的身份而名声大噪, 她的演讲取材于圣经, 精神理念和她的奴隶经历。 她的布道通常谴责 对非裔美国人和妇女的压迫, 在废奴和女权运动中 起到了重要作用。 1843 年,她更名为 索杰纳·特鲁斯, 并开启了她传奇的巡回演说之旅。
Truth saw her journey as a mission from God. Her faith often led her to the nation’s most hostile regions, where she spoke to bigoted audiences as the only Black woman in the crowd. Truth was confident God would protect her, but some crowds responded to her bravery with violence. During one of her sermons, a mob of white men threatened to set fire to the tent where she was speaking. In her memoir, Truth recalled steeling herself to confront them: “Have I not faith enough to go out and quell that mob… I felt as if I had three hearts! And that they were so large, my body could hardly hold them!” She placated the men with song and prayer, until they had no desire to harm her.
特鲁斯视这次巡讲为上帝布道。 她的信仰使她常去 全国最敌视她的地区, 在那里,她是顽固保守的听众中 唯一的黑人女性。 特鲁斯坚信上帝会保护她, 但一些群众用暴力 回应了她的勇敢。 在一次布道时, 一群白人暴徒威胁 要放火烧掉她演讲的帐篷。 在回忆录中, 特鲁斯回忆自己决心直面他们: “难道我没有足够的信心 出去镇压暴徒吗······ 我感觉我像是有三颗心! 而且它们那么大, 身体几乎难以容纳!” 她用歌声和祷告安抚暴徒, 直至他们不再想伤害她。
Truth’s speeches impacted thousands of people in communities across the nation, but her activism went far beyond public speaking. During the Civil War, she became involved with the Union Army, recruiting soldiers and organizing supplies for Black troops. Her work was so well regarded that she was invited to meet President Lincoln. She took the occasion to argue that all formerly enslaved people should be granted land by the government.
特鲁斯的演讲 影响了全国成千上万的人, 但她的行动远不止于公开演讲。 内战期间, 她加入了联邦军队, 从事招募士兵, 为黑人军队管理供给品的工作。 她的工作广受好评, 甚至被邀请面见林肯总统。 她借此良机提出 所有以前被奴役的人 都应该被政府授予土地。
Truth continued to travel and speak well into her 80s. Until her death in 1883, she remained an outspoken critic who fought for her right to be heard in a hostile world. As Truth once said, “I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail."
直至 80 多岁, 特鲁斯仍坚持巡回演说。 在 1883 年去世前, 她一直是一位直言不讳的批评家, 在充满敌意的世界 为自己争取权力。 正如特鲁斯所说, “即使我身处敌营,仍能随遇而安; 因为真理攻无不克, 必将战无不胜。”