On May 9, 1867, Sojourner Truth—abolitionist, feminist, and former enslaved woman—delivered a stirring speech at the First Annual Meeting of the American Equal Rights Association (AERA) in New York. In a moment that blended moral clarity with powerful oratory, Truth advocated for the political and civil rights of both women and African Americans, insisting that the fight for equality must be inclusive of all people, regardless of race or gender.

Her words challenged the rising divisions between suffrage movements and abolitionist causes following the Civil War, urging unity in the pursuit of human rights. As one of the few Black women consistently speaking in both racial and gender justice arenas, Sojourner Truth’s presence at the event remains a defining moment in intersectional activism in 19th-century America.