An artwork depicting abolitionist and women’s rights pioneer Sojourner Truth’s escape from slavery will take center stage as Kingston kicks off Black History Month with a breakfast event at City Hall. The gathering, sponsored by the city, My Kingston Kids and Harambee will take place Monday, Feb. 3 at 10 a.m. on the first floor of City Hall at 420 Broadway.

The event coincides with an art installation honoring Truth who escaped brutal enslavement in Esopus before going on to fame as a speaker and activist for the abolitionist and women’s suffrage movements. The exhibit centers on a work by sculptor Trina Greene: “Sojourner Truth; First Step to Freedom.” The sculpture depicts Truth — then known as Isabella Baumfree Vanwagenen — with infant daughter Sara in arms setting out from her enslaver’s farm in Esopus to New Paltz, where she took refuge with a community of abolitionist Quakers back in 1826. Truth would go on to press a successful legal action challenging her former enslaver’s sale of another of her five-year-old to Alabama in violation of New York’s manumission law, which forbade the sale of slaves out of state while the institution of slavery was gradually phased out here. It was the first time a black woman had prevailed against a white man in an American court.

The sculpture is accompanied by other artworks on display on the ground floor of City Hall. Entitled “Freedom!” the exhibit is inspired by Truth’s story and features the work of local artists. City Director of Arts and Culture Kitt Potter will be on hand to offer tours of the exhibit and contextualize the artworks. The exhibit will be on display through Aug. 25 during regular City Hall business hours from 8:30a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“We are thrilled and honored to once again host a kick-off event for Black History Month at City Hall. I want to congratulate the organizers and all the community partners who work year-round to put on many incredible events throughout February,” Mayor Steve Noble said in an announcement of the event. “I encourage residents to attend the breakfast at City Hall and other special events this month,” said Mayor Noble.

A full list of Black History Month events in Kingston is available at https://blackhistorymonthkingston.org/ More information on “Sojourner Truth: First Step to Freedom” is available at https://engagekingston.com/sojourner-truth-first-step-to-freedom.