Dr. Michelle Chresfield

Yeah, there are conflicting accounts here. Yeah, thank you very much for that. So Truth would describe Lincoln as amenable and someone who greeted her as an equal. But she would attend this meeting with her friend and colleague, Lucy Coleman, who would later describe Lincoln as tense when he met Truth. And Coleman alleges that Lincoln actually addresses her truth as he would a washerwoman.

Yeah, there are conflicting accounts here. Yeah, thank you very much for that. So Truth would describe Lincoln as amenable and someone who greeted her as an equal. But she would attend this meeting with her friend and colleague, Lucy Coleman, who would later describe Lincoln as tense when he met Truth. And Coleman alleges that Lincoln actually addresses her truth as he would a washerwoman.

And so as actually not recognizing Truth's stature and importance there.

And so as actually not recognizing Truth's stature and importance there.

Yes and no. So she becomes really part of these circles. So she is with leading women's rights and suffrage figures. So in 1872, she joined Susan B. Anthony in trying to vote in a presidential election. She's turned away. She's touring New York State. And by this time, in 1870, she's in her 70s. And she's lecturing daily, sometimes twice a day. She participates in

Yes and no. So she becomes really part of these circles. So she is with leading women's rights and suffrage figures. So in 1872, she joined Susan B. Anthony in trying to vote in a presidential election. She's turned away. She's touring New York State. And by this time, in 1870, she's in her 70s. And she's lecturing daily, sometimes twice a day. She participates in

in efforts to try to get land for black Americans, even though that's never really kind of supported by Congress. So she's really has and is developing grand political ambitions, right, well into her later years.

in efforts to try to get land for black Americans, even though that's never really kind of supported by Congress. So she's really has and is developing grand political ambitions, right, well into her later years.

So she has various bouts of illness. She tries to travel locally. By this time, she's in Battle Creek, Michigan. So she's relocated again. And she really finds refuge and community in Michigan. It's a place that she really comes to love. But, you know, she's very sick. And during this time, she continues, though, to give speeches.

So she has various bouts of illness. She tries to travel locally. By this time, she's in Battle Creek, Michigan. So she's relocated again. And she really finds refuge and community in Michigan. It's a place that she really comes to love. But, you know, she's very sick. And during this time, she continues, though, to give speeches.

She continues to draw audiences, and her speeches are printed very widely. But unfortunately, she dies on 26th of November, 1883, at home. at around the age of 86. And she is eulogized by her many colleagues, including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. So her long frenemy will come back and speak of her upon her passing. Oh, that's nice.

She continues to draw audiences, and her speeches are printed very widely. But unfortunately, she dies on 26th of November, 1883, at home. at around the age of 86. And she is eulogized by her many colleagues, including Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. So her long frenemy will come back and speak of her upon her passing. Oh, that's nice.

So, you know, Sojourner Truth, she is what we know to be this really great figure. But a lot of her life exists, you know, at the edge of myth and reality. There's so much about her that we can't know, we won't ever know. Like what she really sounded like, right? A lot of that comes from the kind of narrations of others.

So, you know, Sojourner Truth, she is what we know to be this really great figure. But a lot of her life exists, you know, at the edge of myth and reality. There's so much about her that we can't know, we won't ever know. Like what she really sounded like, right? A lot of that comes from the kind of narrations of others.

And because she is someone so kind of shrouded in myth, I think it's important for us to really sit with what she did and what we can know based on what she did. We know that she is a woman who was deeply religious, who stepped out on faith to self-emancipate herself. who moved about in these various kind of avenues to live the life that she wanted for herself as a free person.

And because she is someone so kind of shrouded in myth, I think it's important for us to really sit with what she did and what we can know based on what she did. We know that she is a woman who was deeply religious, who stepped out on faith to self-emancipate herself. who moved about in these various kind of avenues to live the life that she wanted for herself as a free person.

And we know that she really tried to thread this needle between a faithfulness to her race as a black woman, but also to her gender, right, as a woman who wanted to seek equality. And this is not an easy balance to contend with at the moment at which she's doing it, right? We have examples today of how hard that is for some people.

And we know that she really tried to thread this needle between a faithfulness to her race as a black woman, but also to her gender, right, as a woman who wanted to seek equality. And this is not an easy balance to contend with at the moment at which she's doing it, right? We have examples today of how hard that is for some people.

And so there's so much about what she said that we'll never know for sure. But we know that she worked tirelessly on behalf of black people, on behalf of women to improve their lives. And so I think if we know that, we know as much truth that is important and possible to know.

And so there's so much about what she said that we'll never know for sure. But we know that she worked tirelessly on behalf of black people, on behalf of women to improve their lives. And so I think if we know that, we know as much truth that is important and possible to know.