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,索潔納·特魯斯 走向紐約州金斯頓的大陪審團。 她完全沒有法律制度的相關經驗, 沒有錢,在法庭的眼中也沒有權。 特魯斯不理會陪審團的輕蔑, 她說她到那裡是要為了 五歲兒子彼得的監護權而戰, 彼得被非法賣給了 阿拉巴馬的一名奴役者。 隨著審判在接下來的數個月展開, 特魯斯募款、和律師決定策略, 並保持信念。 終於,在 1828 年的春天, 彼得被交還給她照顧—— 但特魯斯的工作才剛開始。 她奉獻一生去追求 正義和心靈上的理解。 特魯斯出生就是奴隸, 本名伊莎貝拉·鮑姆佛利,
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.
於十八世紀末生在 紐約州阿爾斯特郡。 雖然紐約州在 1799 年 宣佈廢除奴隸制度, 解放的動作卻很緩慢。 當時被奴役的人被迫在大約 二十五歲之前都得擔任契約傭工。
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.
在這段期間,奴役者 屢次將鮑姆佛利賣掉, 將她和她所愛的人拆散。 通常,她會被明確禁止追求新戀情。 最終,她嫁給了一名 被奴役的男子,湯瑪斯, 他們生了三個孩子。 她拼了命想讓她的 新家人能夠在一起—— 但廢除奴隸制度的進展緩慢, 威脅到她的希望。 鮑姆佛利的奴役者約翰·杜蒙特 答應會在 1826 年釋放她。 當他食言時,鮑姆佛利 為了自身安全而逃跑。 逃脫期間,她僅能夠救出 她最小的女兒蘇菲亞, 她其他的孩子仍然受到奴役。 兩年後她才重新取得 彼得的監護權。 在那之後,她又等了兩年 才得以見到她的其他孩子。
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.
在這段期間,鮑姆佛利 在信仰中找到慰藉, 並越來越投入宗教反思。 在紐約州金斯頓定居之後, 她加入了和她有相同 政治觀點的衛理公會派團體。 私底下,她持續大聲地對神發聲, 有一晚,她的晚間禱告 有了更神聖的重要性。 鮑姆佛利宣稱她聽到了 神的聲音,要她離開金斯頓, 將她的神聖訊息傳遞給他人。 雖然從來沒有學過讀寫, 鮑姆佛利變成了激勵演說家, 她的演說引述聖經的教誨、 靈性的理想, 及她自己的奴隸經歷。 她的佈道會指責對非裔美國人 和所有女性的壓迫, 在廢除奴隸制度和女權的 活動中變得很出名。 1843 年,她改名為索潔納·特魯斯, 踏上傳奇性的演說巡迴之旅。
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.
特魯斯將她的旅程 視為是神指派的任務。 她的信仰通常會引導她進入 美國最有敵意的地區, 在那裡,她是唯一的黑人女性, 要對偏執已見的觀眾演說。 特魯斯堅信神會保護她, 但有些人用暴力來回應她的勇氣。 在一次佈道時,一群白人暴民威脅 要放火燒掉她演說的帳篷場地。 在回憶錄中,特魯斯回想到 她自己下決心要正面面對他們: 「我沒有足夠的信念 出去安撫那群暴民嗎…… 我覺得我好像有三顆心! 這三顆心大到我的身體 幾乎無法容納它們!」 她用歌曲和禱告來撫慰那些人, 直到他們沒有想要傷害她的慾望。
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.
特魯斯的演說影響了 全國各地數以千計的人, 但她的活動遠遠不止公開演說。 在內戰時,她加入聯邦軍, 協助招募士兵,並為黑人 軍隊整理安排補給品。 她的工作受到高度關注, 甚至受邀與林肯總統見面。 她利用這個機會,主張政府應該 將土地授予所有先前被奴役的人。
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."
一直到八十多歲,特魯斯 都持續不斷到各地演說, 她於 1883 年過世,在這之前 她一直都是直言不諱的評論家, 在這個充滿敵意的世界中, 為她的發聲權而戰。 如特魯斯曾經說過的: 「即使身處在敵人之中, 我也感到安全;