In November of 2001, the city of Florence donated a city park to be the site of the Sojourner Truth Memorial that includes a statue to honor Truth’s legacy. Sojourner Truth was born in 1797 as a slave with the name Isabella Bomfree, in Ulster County, New York. Truth became a runaway slave in 1827 when she and her baby Sophia fled to a nearby abolitionist family, the Van Wegeners. She then became a local minister in New York City and changed her name in response to a call from the Spirit telling her to preach the truth. This truth included speaking out against slavery.

The statue is just a few doors down from Truth’s home at 35 Park Street, located at 121 Pine Street, Florence, MA 01062. The statue’s unveiling took place on October 6^th, 2002, after ten years of preliminary work, campaign, and funding from the Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee for the installation.

The statue itself rests on a granite pedestal located in a central terrace, elegantly framed by granite seat walls. The seat walls are surrounded with beautiful gardens. The statue also includes three informational plaques about Sojourner Truth, her life, and her legacy, and the Northampton Association of Education and Industry, of which Truth was a part.

The landscaping and design were completed in the summer of 2003 by student volunteers from Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School with plants donated by local stores and nurseries. The entire project is the fruit of a community coming together for the celebration of a feminist and anti-racist figure. 

The statue and the committee itself promote the conversation on race and social justice to continue in the community. The committee awards scholarships every year to graduating seniors from local public high schools who demonstrate in an essay their experience and commitment to social justice and equality. Now, every Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, advocates for anti-racism and social justice gather at the statue to celebrate the work of Sojourner Truth and the high-school student activists.

“Memorial Statue.” Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee, www.sojournertruthmemorial.org/about-us/memorial-statue/.

“Paradise City Press: Sojourner Truth.” YouTube, uploaded by Northampton Open Media, 17 Oct. 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sotpnm7Yc3c.

“High School Scholarship.” Sojourner Truth Memorial Committee, www.sojournertruthmemorial.org/scholarship/.

Michals, Debra. “Sojourner Truth.” Biography: Sojourner Truth, www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sojourner-truth.