Thanks to a group of dedicated Kingston young people, Ulster County will celebrate its first Sojourner Truth Day this Friday, Nov. 26.

“We had so much support from the community and local officials along with learning so much about Sojourner Truth and her legacy,” said YMCA Farm Project Youth Empowerment Coordinator Briana Gary. “I hope her story continues to get the attention it deserves. My hope is that her work becomes even more well-known nationally.”

Born Isabella Baumfree, Truth was called the “Daughter of Esopus" and lived as an enslaved person in what is now known as the Town of Esopus for 28 years. Although she was promised her freedom by her owner John Dumont, to whom she was sold in 1810, she remained a slave until 1826, just one year before New York abolished slavery statewide.

Truth walked to freedom across the Shaupeneak Ridge in the early hours of the morning with her infant daughter Sophie, but was forced to leave one child behind in slavery. Just before slavery’s end in New York, her son was illegally sold out of state. Truth made another journey from Rifton to Kingston to fight and win his freedom in Ulster County Court.

The crew came from the YMCA Farm Project, founded in 2013 by Program Director KayCee Wimbish, along with a colleague from the Y. All of the youth employees in the program are paid for their work; it's often their first job experience. They work through every aspect of the farming process: fostering seedlings, transplanting crops in the fields, watering and harvesting. In the winter, the program hosts cooking classes where teens learn to make meals from their hard work.

During the summer of 2020, the Youth Crew read the timely and powerful book Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. It inspired them to want to learn about and honor the life of Sojourner Truth, so they soon got busy with research. They visited the statue of adult-aged Truth at the Walkway Across the Hudson in Highland and the statue of Truth as an enslaved child in Port Ewen. Later in 2020, the crew even retraced some portions of Truth’s trek on the Shaupeneak Ridge.

“It has been an honor getting to know Sojourner Truth through books written about her,” said Youth Empowerment Coordinator Ani Castillo. “I found her so inspirational because of her strength and resilience to continue fighting for herself, her family, and her people during a period where Black women had little to no power.”

A presentation by the Youth Crew to the Ulster County Legislature last year convinced lawmakers to make it an annual holiday. They’re now taking their work a step further, looking to make it a state-recognized day of remembrance. They talked with state Sen. Michele Hinchey (D-Saugerties), who introduced the idea as Senate Bill S.7341.

“The YMCA Youth Crew has continually worked toward creating a more positive future for us all,” said County Legislator Peter Criswell (D-Kingston) in a press release from the Ulster County Legislature. “Their discussions regarding social justice, antiracism, equality and understanding are having far-reaching impacts in Kingston and all of Ulster County.”

The YMCA of Kingston and Ulster County made a list of suggestions of how residents can honor Sojourner Truth on her death anniversary, Nov. 26:

Visit both Sojourner Truth statues in Ulster County in Port Ewen and in Highland at the Walkway Over the Hudson.
Take a walk on the Sojourner Truth Trail at Shaupeneak Ridge. The QR codes on the information panels provide Spanish interpretation. For more information, click here.
Read books about Sojourner Truth like The Narrative of Sojourner Truth and James Ransome’s children’s book My Name is Truth: The Life of Sojourner Truth.
Have bookstores and libraries create displays with Sojourner Truth books so people can gain knowledge about her.
Critique the language used when talking or reading about enslaved people.
Share what you have learned with friends and loved ones.
Donate to the Library at the A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center in Kingston. Click here to learn more.
Support Black-owned businesses — an internet search for Black-owned businesses in the Hudson Valley brings up many sources.
Listen to a podcast about Sojourner Truth.
Use the hashtag #SojournerTruthDay to share the ways she has been honored by those participating.
Learn more about the YMCA Farm Project here