15. Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth, born Isabella Baumfree in 1797 in Ulster County, New York, was an African American abolitionist and women’s rights activist. After escaping slavery in 1826, she became a prominent speaker advocating for the emancipation of enslaved people and equal rights for women. In 1851, at the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio, she delivered her renowned “Ain’t I a Woman?” speech, challenging prevailing notions of racial and gender inferiority. Truth’s powerful oratory and unwavering commitment to justice left an indelible mark on American history. (britannica.com)
