"In 1828, she went to the courthouse in Ulster County to recover her five-year-old son Peter, who had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. She won. She became the first Black woman to successfully sue a white man in this country and prevail. Just think about what grit that required—not just courage, but a particular kind of faith in a system that had given her absolutely no reason for it."
"She walked into that courthouse and said, essentially: you said there were rules. I'm holding you to your own rules. She used the courts. Sure, Sojourner Truth was a powerful, charismatic speaker who campaigned against slavery, segregation, and for women's suffrage. But here is the thing about Sojourner Truth that doesn't always come to mind at first: she used the courts."
Sojourner Truth, born Isabella Baumfree around 1797 in Ulster County, New York, was sold into slavery at age nine. She later renamed herself Sojourner Truth and became known for her powerful advocacy against slavery, segregation, and for women's suffrage. Her most significant legal achievement occurred in 1828 when she sued to recover her five-year-old son Peter, who had been illegally sold into slavery in Alabama. She won this case, becoming the first Black woman to successfully sue a white man in the United States. Her victory required extraordinary courage and faith in a legal system that had provided her no reason for confidence. A plaque at the Ulster County Courthouse commemorates this landmark legal victory.
Read at www.amny.com
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