1815 Isabella Baumfree 100 x 100 cm

Be my guest, this is enough fabric for you to sew a new Waist Coat for Your Dearest One.   Brand New fabric and not too much due the high shipping costs. 

Isabella Baumfree

Early Life and Enslavement
Isabella Baumfree, who later became known as Sojourner Truth, was born in 1797 in Ulster County, New York. She was born into slavery and was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Baumfree. Her early life was marked by the harsh realities of enslavement; she was sold multiple times throughout her childhood. Initially enslaved on the estate of Johannes Hardenbergh, she was sold away from her parents at the age of nine to John Neely for $100. After a series of transactions, she ended up with John Dumont, where she faced severe mistreatment, including physical abuse and sexual violence.

Family and Children
During her time with Dumont, Isabella had several children. She had two children before marrying another enslaved man named Thomas: her first child James died young, while Diana was born as a result of rape by Dumont. With Thomas, she had three more children: Peter, Elizabeth, and Sophia. The trauma of losing her first love Robert to violence and the struggles of motherhood under slavery deeply affected her.

Escape to Freedom
In 1826, as New York’s gradual abolition law approached its final date for emancipation (July 4, 1827), Dumont reneged on his promise to free Isabella. In response, she escaped with her infant daughter Sophia to a nearby abolitionist family, the Van Wageners. They purchased her freedom for $20 and supported her efforts to reclaim her son Peter, who had been sold illegally into slavery in Alabama.

Religious Awakening and Activism
After gaining her freedom in 1827, Isabella experienced a religious awakening that led her to become a devout Christian. In 1843, she changed her name to Sojourner Truth after feeling called by the Spirit to preach the truth about social justice issues such as abolition and women’s rights.

Legacy
Sojourner Truth became an influential speaker and activist during the 19th century. She is best known for her powerful speeches advocating for both abolition and women’s rights—most notably delivering the “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech at a women’s rights convention in Akron, Ohio in 1851. Throughout her life, she fought tirelessly against racial discrimination and gender inequality until her death in Michigan in 1883.

Note for the design:
The design has been made uneven to imitate the original block print.
When printed to a fabric the result is more vibrant and not stum.