Answer : D
''Old woman,'' grumbled the burly white man who had just heard Sojourner Truth speak,''do you think your talk about slavery does any good? I don't care any more for your talkthan I do for the bite of a flea.''The tall, imposing black woman turned her piercing eyes on him. ''Perhaps not,'' sheanswered, ''but I'll keep you scratching.''The little incident of the 1840s sums up all that Sojourner Truth was: utterly dedicated tospreading her message, afraid of no one, forceful and witty in speech.Yet forty yearsearlier, who could have suspected that a spindly slave girl growing up in a damp cellar inupstate New York would become one of the most remarkable women in Americanhistory? Her name then was Isabella (many slaves had no last names), and by the time shewas fourteen she had seen both parents die of cold and hunger. She herself had been soldseveral times. By 1827, when New York freed its slaves, she had married and borne fivechildren.The first hint of Isabella's fighting spirit came soon afterwards, when her youngest sonwas illegally seized and sold. She marched to the courthouse and badgered officials untilher son was returned to her.In 1843, inspired by religion, she changed her name to Sojourner(meaning ''one who staysbriefly'') Truth, and, with only pennies in her purse, set out to preach against slavery. FromNew England to Minnesota she trekked, gaining a reputation for her plain but powerfuland moving words. Incredibly, despite being black and female (only white males wereexpected to be public speakers), she drew thousands to town halls, tents, and churches tohear her powerful, deep-voiced pleas on equality for blacks-and for women. Often she hadto face threatening hoodlums. Once she stood before armed bullies and sang a hymn tothem. Awed by her courage and her commanding presence, they sheepishly retreated.During the Civil War she cared for homeless ex-slaves in Washington. President Lincolninvited her to the White House to bestow praise on her. Later, she petitioned Congress tohelp former slaves get land in the West. Even in her old age, she forced the city ofWashington to integrate its trolley cars so that black and white could ride together.Shortly before her death at eighty-six, she was asked what kept her going. ''I think of thegreat things,'' replied Sojourner.
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