How we cite our quotes: (Sentence)
Quote #1
I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! (13)
Can we just take a minute to mull over how tragic this quote is? Truth's children, siblings, and parents were all taken from her as a result of slavery. She had only her faith to turn to for comfort. She came out the stronger for it, but many others were broken.
Quote #2
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! (19)
Can you imagine being the one called out for this? The maleness of Christ is used to argue for the superiority of men. The specificity of "that little man in black" can be taken as standing in for ministers of small mind who argued against suffrage, abolition, and equal rights based on Christian dogma.
Quote #3
Where did your Christ come from? (20)
Sojourner liked this query so much, she made it twice. This is one of those conveniently forgotten points when arguing for male supremacy, so you better believe she was going to drive it home: there would have been no Christ without Mary.
Quote #4
Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him. (21-23)
Mary was kind of integral to the whole giving-birth-to-Christ process, so can the argument that women are inferior to men be put to rest?
Quote #5
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back, and get it right side up again! (24)
Truth lobbed this zinger at the men who used religion as an excuse to refuse women full rights. Eve is notorious in the Bible for getting humankind kicked out of Eden, but she still gets credit for shaking things up. Let's not forget that women can have an impact on the course of history, too.