The theme for Women’s History Month 2024 is “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.” It recognizes women who work to eliminate bias and discrimination, and who strive for fairness and equality in institutions and social interactions. perhaps there is no better example of this than Sojourer Truth. Truth spoke at the Second Ohio Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio on May 29, 1851. She was not invited but attended anyway. She was not asked to speak but rose to advocate for all women’s rights, including women of color. Her “Ain’t I A Woman?” speech challenged the exclusion of women of color from the women’s movement at the time, allowing Akron to play an extraordinary role in the fight for voting rights for all. Truth spoke on the steps of The Universalist Stone Church, UUCA’s ancestor church.

In Chris Klimek’s recent article in the Smithsonian Magazine, “How to Separate Fact From Myth in the Extraordinary Story of Sojourner Truth,”  he explores why the pioneering 19th-century feminist, suffragist, abolitionist’s legacy has so frequently been misrepresented. His interviews with historians Cynthia Greenlee and Nell Irvin Painter, help us understand who Sojourner Truth really was, and why several generations of activists have claimed her as a symbol, at the expense of our understanding of her as a person.

As we transition from Black History Month to Women’s History Month, there is no better representative of this intersection than Sojourner Truth.  We are honored that our ancestor Universalist church, is part of  the Sojourner Truth project in Downtown Akron.  The project features a plaza and a statue designed by international, Akron artist, Woodrow Nash.  The dedication will be on Wednesday May 29, 2024.  Mark your calendar as we stand on the shoulders of our Universalist ancestors to honor Truth.  You can follow the progress of the project here and explore the videos on how Truth has held a powerful place in the history of our town. Our church, Our lives.