School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-- With compassion and historical detail, the McKissacks offer a rich profile of Isabella Van Wagener. Her experiences as both slave and freed slave in New York shaped her midlife commitment to abolition and women's rights. At age 46, she received a call to ``walk in the light of His truth.'' Henceforward, her name was Sojourner Truth and, although she never learned to read or write, the six-foot tall woman became a striking, eloquent spokesperson whose wit, common sense, and candor popularized her with audiences throughout New England and the Midwest. This biography draws personal information from many of the same sources cited in other recent biographies by Lindstrom (Messner, 1980; o.p.), Taylor-Boyd (Gareth Stevens, 1990), and Macht (Chelsea, 1992). But the McKissacks emphasize the condition of African-Americans from 1797-1883, their subject's convictions and magnetism, her contributions to the welfare of her people, and her involvement with other influential abolitionists and activists during the last 40 years of her life. Brief profiles of these acquaintances, from Susan B. Anthony to Harriet Tubman, are appended. Middle grade readers and researchers will enjoy the readability, quotes, and documentary photos, all of which breathe life into the personality and times of Sojourner Truth. --Gerry Larson, Chewning Junior High School, Durham, NC

ALA Booklist (Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 CST 1992)

Born a slave in the North and sold on the auction block, Sojourner Truth became a leading abolitionist and feminist, a speaker of wit and wisdom who drew on her own experience to fight against human suffering. Standing six feet tall and dressed in black, she stirred audiences across the country and spoke with presidents. Illiterate, she dictated her autobiography, Narrative of Sojourner Truth: A Northern Slave, in 1850, editing and updating it several times. The McKissacks (who won the Coretta Scott King Award for A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter) draw on Sojourner Truth's Narrative, and they integrate her personal story with a general history of slavery, resistance, and the leading figures in the abolitionist movement. The style is straightforward, but it's the dramatic quotes from Sojourner Truth herself that grab you. Readers will be stirred by her speeches (including the famous one with the refrain And ain't I a woman?). They'll also love her fierce one-liners: No more scars and stripes, she said, just stars and stripes for all God's children. Includes a bibliography, but no notes; many black-and-white photos to come.

Horn Book (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CST 1992)

Assuming the name Sojourner Truth in 1843 at the age of 46, the former slave traveled in order to bring a strident abolitionist and feminist message to many parts of the country, often facing considerable opposition while delivering her speeches. The authors do a particularly fine job relating the major incidents in Truth's life and provide brief biographical sketches of the many people she knew and worked with. The black-and-white photographs bring a sense of immediacy to the narrative. Bib., ind.

Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Presenting the dramatic life of one of slavery's staunchest opponents, the McKissacks illuminate the most important issues of 19th-century American politics. Born a slave in upstate New York, Belle Hardenburgh struggled to survive, to create and hold together a family, and to be free. Her children grown, she answered a spiritual call to preach against slavery, using her own experiences to win over hostile audiences and choosing a new name, Sojourner Truth, to reflect her commitment. Many other leading lights joined her campaigns for the welfare of African- Americans and women. In describing the effects of her ministry, the authors clearly convey her differences of opinion with other abolitionists and fairly depict other important actors in her life—including her former master, who actually became an abolitionist. Though they don't document the thoughts and feelings they attribute to Sojourner Truth (they appear to be drawn from other biographies), these emotions and ideas do ring true. A valuable contribution, well balanced and broad-minded. Photos and historical reproductions; bibliography; index. (Biography. 9-12)"