Day 29 – Saint Sojourner Truth (1797–1883)

Saint Sojourner Truth was born into slavery in New York under the name Isabella Baumfree. She endured hardship, cruelty, and separation from family. Yet in 1826, with infant daughter in her arms, she escaped to freedom, trusting God to guide her steps. A few years later, she experienced a deep call from the Lord and took the name Sojourner Truth, declaring that she would travel the land proclaiming God’s justice and truth.

Sojourner became a powerful preacher, combining biblical conviction with fiery eloquence. She spoke out against slavery, demanded freedom for the oppressed, and championed the dignity of women. Illiterate herself, she quoted Scripture with power and insight, showing that God’s Word belongs not only to scholars but to every believer filled with the Spirit. At the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, she delivered her famous speech, remembered by its refrain, “Ain’t I a woman?” In it, she proclaimed the strength and worth of women in the sight of God, confronting prejudice with courage and grace.

Though she faced threats, ridicule, and poverty, Sojourner pressed on, convinced that God had called her to be a voice for the voiceless. She became a living witness to the gospel’s power to break chains, both spiritual and physical.

For us today, Saint Sojourner Truth reminds us that the call to follow Christ includes standing with the oppressed and lifting up the downtrodden. Her story challenges us to trust God’s strength more than our own, and to speak the truth boldly even when the world resists. Like her, we are called to live as sojourners, bearing witness to God’s justice and love.