Sojourner Truth was a first wave feminist who was born into slavery. After she gained her freedom, she became a famed abolitionist speaker. Her original name was Isabella, but later in life she felt a message from God telling her to leave her home and change her name to Sojourner Truth. Religion influenced her abolitionist and feminist beliefs. Possibly her most famous contribution to feminism was the “Ain’t I a Woman” speech, given to a crowd of mostly white feminists at the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio. Though the crowd originally opposed her being able to speak at the event, but the end of her speech they were captivated.

Learn more about Sojourner Truth here.