Cover of The Narrative of Sojourner Truth

The Narrative of Sojourner Truth

by Olive Gilbert and Sojourner Truth

Reading level
Plain English
Price
Free

About the book

"The Narrative of Sojourner Truth" by Olive Gilbert and Sojourner Truth is a historical account dictated by the formerly enslaved woman Sojourner Truth in the mid-19th century. The book details her life experiences, focusing particularly on her journey from slavery to freedom and the profound struggles she faced as a Black woman in America, highlighting her resilience and faith throughout her trials. The opening of the narrative introduces Isabella, later known as Sojourner Truth, recounting her early life as a slave, born to James and Betsey in New York. It describes her family dynamics, the painful separations caused by slavery, and the harsh conditions under which enslaved individuals lived. Truth's reflections on her mother's teachings about God illustrate her deep spiritual beliefs. As she transitions from her childhood in bondage to an auction that threatens to separate her from her family, the narrative sets the stage for her subsequent challenges and triumphs in the struggle for her own freedom and the freedom of others.

  • Truth, Sojourner, -1883
  • African American abolitionists
  • African Americans
  • Abolitionists
  • Social reformers

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1674.