Origins of the Sojourner Truth Memorial Statue

Sojourner Truth lived in Florence from 1843-1857. She came here to join the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, a utopian community dedicated to equality and justice. While the Northampton Association was a relatively short-lived experiment as a formal community, its existence gave testimony to that special human spirit which seeks to increase justice and improve society, to promote – as its founders wrote – “advancement in truth and goodness.” After the Association disbanded, Sojourner Truth remained in Florence where she bought her first home, wrote her classic autobiography, and became a nationally known advocate for women’s rights and the abolition of slavery.

In 1994, a group of Northampton citizens came together with the idea of creating a memorial statue to honor Sojourner Truth and her work. This group grew out of, and remains part of, the Committee for Northampton, which was formed in 1993 (following the videotaped police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles) to work toward eliminating racism by increasing appreciation of diversity, building community, and challenging oppression.

As we begin a new millenium, the need for conversation and education around issues of race, sex, class, sexual orientation and other forms of difference remains as strong as ever. This fact is underscored by the frequent occurrence of tragic and violent hate crimes around our country as well as in our own community.

A crucial aspect of this educational process is giving greater public recognition to the individuals and events in American history that mark high points in the ongoing struggle for equal justice. The arrival of Sojourner Truth in Florence in 1843 was one such moment. Truth’s life in Northampton reflects an extraordinary historical period when a group of men and and women joined across lines of race, gender, and class to struggle against slavery and to seek equality and a better life for all people.

From 1994 - 2000, the Statue Committee led a community-wide effort to increase awareness of the legacy of Sojourner Truth.  The Committee fostered community support for the statue, selected the site, raised funds, commissioned a sculptor, and selected a contractor to construct the memorial site.  The project received a major boost in 1997 when the Massachusetts Legislature awarded it a $100,000 matching grant under the Massachusetts Monument Grants program, created to fund five Massachusetts projects honoring women.  Other major gifts were received from Florence Savings Bank, Smith College, the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts, and an anonymous donor.

The memorial honors both Sojourner Truth and the vision that inspired her.  The goal of the memorial site is to help keep this piece of Northampton's history alive both for the residents of western Massachusetts and visitors to this area.  The Committee especially encourages field trips by students of all ages throughout Massachusetts and beyond.