Sojourner Truth was an American activist who fought for the rights of women, African Americans, and the temperance movement. Born into slavery in New York around 1797, she escaped to freedom in 1826 alongside her infant daughter. She gained prominence as a powerful orator, most notably through her famous speech at the 1851 Ohio Women's Convention. Throughout her life, she dedicated herself to social justice, helping recruit Black soldiers during the Civil War and advocating for land grants for formerly enslaved people.