Who Was Sojourner Truth?

Who Was . . . ? Series

by Yona Zeldis McDonough, Jim Eldridge (Illustrator)

Almost 100 years before Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat, Sojourner Truth was mistreated by a streetcar conductor. She took him to court--and won! Before she was Sojourner Truth, she was known simply as Belle. Born a slave in New York sometime around 1797, she was later sold and separated from her family. Even after she escaped from slavery, she knew her work was not yet done. She changed her name and traveled, inspiring everyone she met and sharing her story until her death in 1883 at age eighty-six. In this easy-to-read biography, Yona Zeldis McDonough continues to share that remarkable story.

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Childrens, School, African American, American History

112 pages, Library Binding

First published December 29, 2015

About the author

I live in Park Slope, Brooklyn and many of my novels take place here. But my new novel takes place in New Hampshire, and I have woven into it a historical component: the tragic story of Ruth Blay, who in 1768 was the last woman hanged in the state. When I read about Ruth, I was fascinated and horrified in equal measure, and I knew I had to write about her.
I was educated at Vassar College and Columbia University, where I studied art history. But I started writing fiction in my 20's and never looked back. I am the author of seven novels, 27 books for children and am the editor of two essay collections. I'm also the fiction editor of Lilith Magazine . Please visit my website, http://www.yonazeldismcdonough.com or find me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yzmcdonough; I love to connect with readers everywhere.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

I admit I had never heard of Sojourner Truth was. This written for middle grade. I found it to be informative and well written and I learned a lot from reading it. It is a quick way to learn about people.

Sojourner lived during the same time as Frederick Douglas and she was also born into slavery in New York and gained her freedom. She became a speaker against slavery and for freedom for slaves and women. She spoke at many women's rallies where she was the only black person there. She tried to get congress to give freed slaves 20 acres and a mule in the west as compensation for work done on the backs of a freed nation. She did so much and was so instrumental in our young country. She lived into her 80s. She was an incredible person.

I enjoyed this.

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend it to people who like Harriet Tubman, Fredrick Douglas, Rosa Parks, and Martin Luther King Jr. Good book.

[Taylor Watford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an amazing biography of a very courageous woman who wasn’t afraid to share her opinion. Sojourner Truth was a well known African-American women’s rights activist. Being a former slave she knew what “unfair” treatment was like and she spoke about it in many speeches. Her most well known speech was titled, “Ain’t I a Woman” and was delivered in 1851 at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. She mainly spoke about women’s rights (including white woman) but during the Civil War she convinced Black Troops to join the Union Army. Her life was very hard and difficult being a slave. She was separated from her family but she escaped with her infant daughter to their neighbors who didn’t believe in slavery. Later Sojourner went to court to get her son’s freedom too. She became the first black woman to win a court case against a white man. These hardships made her want to speak more and she traveled around the U.S. giving speeches at different Women’s Rights Conventions. Sojourner was a very brave women who spoke what she believed and never gave up during hardships in her life. I loved this book so much. Sojourner is such an important historical figure and learning about her was fascinating. She stood up for what she believed in and made an impact to everyone who listened to her.

[Emaliyah Stierwalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I thought about the book was that Sojourner Truth was she was a fearless women. I loved how she would not stop working to get things done. It mad me upset how she was badly beaten. Also how that maid did to her. It was a good book I would recommend this book because it has a lot of information that I did not know.The book gave me a lot of knowledge about her.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so informative to me and I think it’s a great book for everyone to read!

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you know...

-That almost 100 years before Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth faced off against a racist Streetcar Conductor
-First Black Woman to win a case in court, against the illegal selling of a slave;
-Despite a formal education, literacy, or writing ability, a Narrative Memoir, published in 1850, dictated by Olive Gilbert, would become as successful as Frederick Douglas' own works at the same time;
-Due to her fighting drive in activism for women's rights and Blacks' rights, she met President Lincoln, President Ulysses S. Grant, and women's rights activists Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton
-Her name was not originally Sojourner Truth....

Find out all of this and more!

[AMY · Rating 5 out of 5]

106 pages. Great biography of a truly amazing woman. I learned a lot about her work. She was involved in many causes and was actively working well past her 70s. There is additional information on slave auctions, slave catchers, Quakers, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Seneca Falls Convention, Freedmen’s Hospital, Rosa Parks, Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, as well as maps and drawings. All of these additional resources, plus the timelines at the end help a reader understand the times in which she lived. It was a really sad story but inspiring. Highly recommended for Grades 4-5 and beyond.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

My child is learning so much, from these books, and is loving them.

[Kevin Hodgson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insights into Truth's life for younger readers ... we have a statue and memorial in my small city for Sojourner Truth, so I am always intrigued by her life and her work ...

[Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lily and I didn't know anything about Sojourner Truth before reading this book, we now realize that she was a pretty amazing woman.

She was born a slave in about 1797, and went by the name Belle (short for Isabelle) until she chose a new name for herself as an adult. We were sad to learn that she was separated from her family as a child through slave auctions. She grew up speaking Dutch and English with her owners.

A law in New York freed her from slavery when she was about 30 years old, and she spent the rest of her life working to bring justice for people treated unfairly.

We learned about the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision of 1857 that affected runaway slaves. We also learned about Quakers and their role in the abolitionist movement. We learned about Jim Crow laws, and the Seneca Falls Convention on women's rights. Belle worked with Fredrick Douglas, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and many others to make the country better for all.

In 1843 she set out to become a traveling preacher, she had always been known by her slave name and decided to change it to reflect who she really was. A sojourner is a traveler, "she was devoting herself to God's word. And God's word was true... Her new name fit her new life: Sojourner Truth." p 48.

She worked with senators and other leaders to bring change, she even met three presidents- Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Ulysses S Grant.

She traveled and worked hard for fairness until the end of her life, teaching former slaves and others the skills they needed to live better lives, sharing her experiences in speeches and books, and fighting for voting rights for women. She lived to be 86 years old. "Sojourner Truth's bold spirit lives on. Her work and her words continue to inspire and instruct. She was one of America's great heroes, and she will be remembered always." p 103.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Categories/Genres: Non-fiction/middle grades
2. Copyright date: 2015
3. Estimate of age level of interest: grades 3-6
4. Estimate of reading level: 2.9

5. Brief description: This inspirational book describes Sojourner Truth's life- who was born as a slave, given freedom, and then fought as a leader in the abolition and women's rights movements. It also provides sidebars with brief biographies of other leaders, like Fredrick Douglass and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and descriptions of places and events important to the story.

6. Identify at least 2 characteristics of this genre and subgenre and discuss how they appear in your book.
-Good nonfiction writers "should be concerned with feeling as well as thinking and passion as well as clarity" (Huck, p. 257). Readers will feel anger for the situations Truth faces, such as the time that a housemaid sabatoges her work. They will see her passion- and that of those around her- and understand she made an impact.
-This book is organized in clear ways. Chapters focus on specific times in Truth's life. Instead of cluttering the text with extra descriptions, sidebars are used to delve further into those matters.

7. In what ways and how well does the book as a whole serve its intended audience?
Middle grades:
The subject and issues in this book are appropriate for this audience. I find it hard to believe that many third and forth graders could read this book, though, with words like abolition and proper names. It does provide a clear picture of Truth's life and her accomplishments.

There is no index, though there are timelines and a bibiliography which includes books for young readers.

8. Awards: None

9. Citations for published reviews from professional sources: None

[Gianna P4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

October Report
Who Was Sojourner Truth?
Yona Zeldis McDonough

Born as a slave, Who was Sojourner Truth is about a slave that fought for her freedom and rights. She worked harder than most slaves and got sold to different owners. After getting married and having children, her and her husband were freed. She left with her youngest child and her husband stayed with the rest of their children. After a while, her daughter went back with Sojourner's husband. On her own, she did speeches around the country about black people rights and women's right. By her words, she died as a legend.




Fight for what you think is right is the most meaningful theme of this book. Sojourner Truth fought for her and her children's freedom. Only running off with her youngest child, she went to court and demanded her sons freedom because he was sold to another state. After slavery ended and black men got their voting rights, there was still segregation. She fought for black people rights by doing public speaking. She also gave speeches for women rights.

[Noah Dutcher]

I just finished reading Who Was Sojourner Truth by Yonda Zeldis McDonough. The entire was about her life story and what part she took during the civil rights movement. It was basically a more in depth detail about what we read about her in that one Civil Rights book because it was a longer story. The book also mentioned how she was actually the first person to not give up their seat to a white on a bus, but they didn't choose her to represent them because she wasn't as strong as Rosa Parks.

Even though that the books are are little bit on the short side, I still believe that they contain so much information about whichever person the book was about. I also liked it because I got to learn more in depth detail of what actually happened on the bus and in court. They also went into more depth with the different violations of rules, and I thought that was pretty interesting.

I would recommend this book to people who took part in the Civil Rights movement and to people who are interested in learning about it, and who all of the other leaders and rebels were in this time period.

[Tag Broaderip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sojourner Truth By Yona Z McDonough. She was a slave when she was born. She spoke a different language then English so when he died she was sold to a slave owner that spoke English and the slave owner did not speak the language. She did so she not understand what he was saying. After a long time she finally got out of slavery. She headed of to New York City and there she was one of the only black woman there. She had no money. so she sent of to find a job her found herself into a sevent. She then fought for woman's rights she got a hold of the president of the United States. The president of the United said he would do something but he never did. The rest of her life she was fighting for woman's rights.

I would recommend this book because it was not hard and it is a good way to learn about history.

Why I chose this book because it looked like a good book. And I am learning about slavery in history class.

[Thomas Andrikus · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's very inspiring to read about the life of one of the greatest women in American history. She was neither a politician nor a member of clergy, and yet her lifelong striving for the progress for the emancipation of both black people and women in the 19th century was perhaps one of the greatest gifts she had bequeathed to today's society.

[Julia Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how Sojourner Truth helped women's rights and black people's rights. I also think she was smart. Also, the authors described it very nicely. I enjoy all the Who Was books.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it.

[Melenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

[Pascale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sojourner Truth was a freed slave, who argued for woman's rights, and equality for all races. She was a really great lady. The writing was OK, but it was kind of boring at times.

[Memory Toast · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a gripping read, but I did learn something about this remarkable American figure.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot about this woman, born a slave, who worked tirelessly for women's rights as well as equality for all races. I appreciated the excerpt of her "Ain't I a Woman" speech, too.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

i liked it

[Lynda Breithaupt-Muenzer]

McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Who Was Sojourner Truth. (2015). Target Audience: 8-12. This non-fiction children's biography is the story of a woman whose parents were slaves, so she too was born a slave and named Isabella. Her owner, a Dutch man, took "Belle" away from her family and sold her, along with a flock of sheep for $100.00. Belle missed her family and struggled as she only spoke Dutch, but was sold to an English speaking family. She eventually learned English, but not how to read or write. Slaves were not allowed to go to school. She was sold again when she was 13, to a farm owner in New York. She worked hard, learning to farm, cook, clean and spin wool. At 20 years of age she married Thomas. Together they had five children. One of their children was sold illegally to someone out of state, so Belle got help from some Quakers and won her historical court case and got her son back. After her husband died, Belle and her son moved to the city of New York. Belle became active in the Mother Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church. She helped homeless women at a shelter and led songs and prayers. When she was 46, she moved to Connecticut and changed her name to Sojourner (traveler) Truth. One day she tried to board a streetcar, but the conductor shoved her, hurting her shoulder, and told her to sit in the back. This was 100 years before Rosa Parks stood up for herself. Sojourner won another court case against the conductor. She made a speech called, "Ain't I a Woman?" She and Susan B. Anthony had a mutual interest in women's suffrage and worked together for women's rights. Sojourner also worked for white people who encouraged her to tell her story. She dictated it to Olive Gilbert, a supporter of women's rights and William Lloyd Garrison published her book. Sojourner traveled about telling her story and then selling her books. She died peacefully at age 86, knowing she had made a difference in this world.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't actually know many details of Truth's life, so decided to read this one before I passed it on. Given Truth's strong faith and time as a traveling preacher, the book sounds a lot more religious than I expected, enough that I stopped to check that this was a real Who HQ book and not a Christian knockoff!

I was pretty unhappy to learn about New York's method for ending slavery, which involved keeping children who had been born into slavery enslaved until they were 28 (men) or 25 (women). It was also interesting to learn that Truth took white men to court twice--once for selling her son after the New York gradual emancipation law had passed, once for physically harming her when she tried to get on a Washington, DC streetcar before her white friend--and won both times.

From slavery to freedom, working for others to working for herself, abolition and suffrage, all sorts of assissting the poor and promoting education, and even personal meetings with three presidents... Few women have had such interesting lives!

[Sarah Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a girl named Sojourner Truth and she was a girl who was very upset because in this period of time there was slaves and she was losing a lot of her brothers and sisters because they were being sold to farmers for work and to other people. So one day she got taken away from he her mom and dad and had to leave. He owner was a men man and he would hurt her and abuse he and she did not what this life but she had to have it. Because one day she would be set free. Sojourner had had a lot of owners and just kept on moving she once had a slave owner that she loved and cared about so much because they treated he with respect and they gave her food a bed and close and that is all that she wanted in her life was respect, to be set free and for there to not be slaves. She married a guy and he got sold she had a boy and some other kids. She was set free and she went on to talk about all of her adventures and joined a church to sing and to share the love with god.

[Ellie Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book about an amazing person in history. Sojourner Truth is a woman who grew up enslaved, being sold multiple times during her childhood and young adult years. Eventually, she can escape with her youngest child, but she is forced to leave her husband and other children behind. In the end, she fought for her child's freedom in court and won. After escaping to freedom, Sojourner became a fierce speaker on behalf of women and enslaved people; she gave speeches demanding both racial justice and women's rights. There are not enough middle-grade books about her so I was glad to find this one. She is not talked about enough so I would like to have this book in my classroom. I only wish that this book had been longer so that it could spend more time on her achievements later in life.

I would make sure to pull this book and encourage students to read it when we are discussing abolition, civil rights, and women's rights (Seneca Falls Convention). It would also pair well with a lesson about her speech "Ain't I A Woman" to give background to students.

[Ayla Stierwalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again this is for home schooling...... I have to say I needed google to help pronounce her name....... She was a norther slave so she lived a little different then Harriet Tubman.... I really enjoyed her story, although she didn't do much for civil rights there was information bout people and other things that she did, it was more of her faith that helped her. She was more of a women's right activist. I really enjoy these story's they are short sweet but have a lot of information in them. I think that the way they write these books it is easier to retain the information. At the very end of the story there is also a time line of her life and a time line of the world which is super nice if you have to write a time line information. There is also more information in the back that you can get that has more information about her life.

[Keith Mannina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of sojourner truth is one that I was not taught very much about from elementary school through secondary school. The extent of her story was only attached to two words “underground“ and “rail road“. We were not taught about what the actual underground railroad meant and what its actual function was. In my southern Catholic school education, we were only taught that she was basically an Airbnb host for people escaping slavery. We were not taught about how amazing her story was and how dangerous her life was. As children, we were definitely not taught about how extensive and exciting her story was and how long that she lived. She lived to the age of 86. When she died on November 26, 1883, she was able to see with her own eyes and heart that real change had been made.

[Goddess of Chaos · Rating 4 out of 5]

"James was sick and old. Yet he saw Belle’s suffering and knew he had to help her."

Sojourner Truth, born a slave, called Belle as a child, spent her adult life on a journey to share her Truth, the truth of the world as she knew it, she preached the word of God, but more than that, she championed the cause of the poor, those who were without a voice, she understood the challenges facing those moving into a life of freedom, and she worked to help them enter that new life, and have a successful future.

This book does a nice job of explaining how an illiterate woman found herself going on speaking tours, selling her own book, helping others to understand a way of life they'd never lived, with hopes it would in turn inspire them.

[Heather Beaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good, quick read with lots of interesting information. I did know a little about Sojourner, but this book told me more. I wish I knew what happened to her son, though.

I did have a concern about something in the book that I think is incorrect. There was a page about Dred Scott. It said that he was a runaway slave who was caught and returned and then sued for freedom. That isn't correct. I taught about Dred Scott for years, and everything I've read about him says he was moved from slave state to free state by his owners. That's what led him to sue. The copy of the book I read from has a copyright date of 2015, so maybe it has been fixed since then.