Greg Jenner

So Isabella takes things into her own hands and she goes on the run. Does she take any of her kids with her?

She's got her daughter Sophia with her, and then she hears that her son Peter has been taken because her husband Thomas has died, Michelle. Peter had been still in enslavement, owned by the Dumonts, and John Dumont had decided to sell him to a slave owner in Alabama. And this is hugely upsetting, and she does something extraordinary, Michelle. Can you tell us what she does in 1828?

She's got her daughter Sophia with her, and then she hears that her son Peter has been taken because her husband Thomas has died, Michelle. Peter had been still in enslavement, owned by the Dumonts, and John Dumont had decided to sell him to a slave owner in Alabama. And this is hugely upsetting, and she does something extraordinary, Michelle. Can you tell us what she does in 1828?

The amazing thing really now is that Isabella is free. She goes off to New York and she now goes to work for white families, but wealthy families as a free woman. One family is called the Latourettes, and they're very religious, aren't they?

The amazing thing really now is that Isabella is free. She goes off to New York and she now goes to work for white families, but wealthy families as a free woman. One family is called the Latourettes, and they're very religious, aren't they?

Yeah. Just be like, oh, my wife said, well, it's time to crack it out. Boom. But then she finds someone even more interesting. Someone comes to her door calling himself the prophet Matthias. Desiree, who do you think he claimed to be? I'll give you a clue. He's wearing gold robes. He's got a fancy beard when he shows up at her door.

Yeah. Just be like, oh, my wife said, well, it's time to crack it out. Boom. But then she finds someone even more interesting. Someone comes to her door calling himself the prophet Matthias. Desiree, who do you think he claimed to be? I'll give you a clue. He's wearing gold robes. He's got a fancy beard when he shows up at her door.

Michelle, was Isabella convinced by this gold-dressed man, or did she wholly ghost him?

Michelle, was Isabella convinced by this gold-dressed man, or did she wholly ghost him?

And Isabella is trying to preach, Michelle, but is not allowed to preach in this cult, so that's not ideal.

And Isabella is trying to preach, Michelle, but is not allowed to preach in this cult, so that's not ideal.

The commune collapses in 1834, Desiree, so only a year later. But Isabella stays loyal to Matthias. She lends him money. She gets him a lawyer.

The commune collapses in 1834, Desiree, so only a year later. But Isabella stays loyal to Matthias. She lends him money. She gets him a lawyer.

Even his own wife hadn't joined the commune, but Isabella is still team Matthias. It's a bit of a red flag, isn't it, when the wife won't join? Well,

Even his own wife hadn't joined the commune, but Isabella is still team Matthias. It's a bit of a red flag, isn't it, when the wife won't join? Well,

The end. Important thing to say here, Michelle, I think, is that after the collapse of the commune, Sojourner Truth emerges as an identity.

The end. Important thing to say here, Michelle, I think, is that after the collapse of the commune, Sojourner Truth emerges as an identity.

She's now Sojourner Truth, and soon she was living in another commune, Desiree. Such a hippie.

She's now Sojourner Truth, and soon she was living in another commune, Desiree. Such a hippie.

Loves a guy in a beard and robes. But this one's less problematic, Michelle. This is the Northampton Association for Education and Industry, which sounds like a kind of local government thing. What is this commune?