Western Massachusetts
Florence
Sojourner Truth Memorial
Sojourner Truth, born as a slave named Isabella around 1797, became free in 1827. Fifteen years later she chose a new name for herself and became a traveling preacher. She eventually settled in Florence, Massachusetts in 1843, where she lived until 1851, continuing to travel around the country speaking about abolition and woman’s rights. In 1850, Truth dictated her memoirs, The Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave. In 1851 she gave her famous, “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech in Ohio.
The Sojourner Truth Memorial statue was conceived of in 1994, and dedicated in 2002. The creation of the memorial was led by the Committee for Northampton, which seeks to challenge oppression and eliminate racism.
Sojourner Truth Memorial
Corner of Pine and Park Streets, Florence, MA
www.noho.com/sojourner