Sojourner Truth, 19th century representative of womanism.

Gage's description was intended to construct an image of one, I suppose, who would, even with little intelligence and with limited couth, become an amazing show of women's strength.

In the renditions of the speech, we can also see remarkable differences in the language and in the content of the speech itself. The opening lines to the 1851 version are as follows:

"I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights." (Robinson, p. 198)

The opening lines to the 1868 version:

"Well, chillen, whar dar's so much racket dar must be som'ting out o' kilter. I tink dat, 'twixt the niggers of de South and de women at de Norf, all a-talking 'bout rights, de white men will be in a fix pretty soon." (Painter, p. 167)

Compare, if you will, the discussions of Truth's discussion of the term intellect:

Robinson, 1851:

"As for intellect, all I can say is, if woman have a pint, and man a quart -- why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, -- for we can't take more than our pint'll hold." (Robinson, p. 198)

Gage, 1868:

"When dey talks 'bout dis ting in de head. What dis dey call it?' 'Intellect,' whispered some one near. Dat's it, honey. What's dat got to do with woman's rights or nigger's rights? If my cup wont' hold but a pint and yourn holds a quart, wouldn't ye be mean not to let me have my little half-measure full?" (Painter, 167).

Gage is certainly clear in her rendition of the images she wants to convey to her readers. As she marvels at the speech that Truth gave, which really resonated in the conference hall, leaving few dry eyes, Gage also reminds her reader that Truth's remarkable quality was the fact that someone so unintelligent and "colored" could render such a moving speech.

Nell Irving Painter is a historian who has published a book in which she explores Truth's development as a woman and her development as a symbol and an icon. Her book, Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol, asserts that much of who we know as Sojourner Truth was a constructed image, a constructed symbol who represents African American women, and particularly the women about whom Truth spoke in meetings, conferences, and conversations. Painter questions some of

Go To Page: 1 2 3 4