Ain't I A Woman? Traditional Cache
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This cache is one of 7 caches in the "Sojourner Truth Geocache Trail." Four of the 7 caches are located at the Shaupeneak Ridge upper parking area, including this cache.
Epic Explorers, a 4-H club for homeschoolers based in New York’s Hudson Valley, has used geocaching to shine a spotlight on an important woman in our local and national history: Sojourner Truth. Ulster County native, Sojourner Truth, was born into slavery as Isabella around 1797. In the fall of 1826, after her master broke his promise to free her ahead of the new state law abolishing slavery, Isabella spun an extra 100 pounds of wool for him before simply walking away from his home: “I thought it was mean to run away, but I could walk away.” She walked her over 11-mile “Freedom Trail” through what is now the Town of Esopus. Once she was free, Isabella took the name Sojourner Truth and became a popular speaker and effective advocate for social justice: “When I left the house of bondage, I left everything behind. I wa’n’t goin’ to keep nothin’ of Egypt on me, an’ so I went to the Lord an’ asked Him to give me a new name. And the Lord gave me Sojourner, because I was to travel up an’down the land, showin’ the people their sins, an’ bein’ a sign unto them. Afterwards I told the Lord I wanted another name, ‘cause everybody else had two names; and the Lord gave me Truth, because I was to declare the truth to the people.”
In Spring 2013, Epic Explorers created a Sojourner Truth geocache trail to commemorate and mark her Freedom Trail, as well as other sites that are relevant to her life in Ulster County. We hope the project will help educate others about Sojourner Truth and her many accomplishments.
Shaupeneak RIdge is owned and managed by Scenic Hudson. Individuals seeking geocaches do so at their own risk and must follow the park rules listed on the park’s kiosk.
Scenic Hudson
1 Civic Center Plaza
Poughkeepsie, NY 12603
845-473-4440
www.scenichudson.org
Sojourner Truth gained much personal and spiritual strength from nature, and thanks to Scenic Hudson, we are able to do the same while we search for geocaches along her freedom trail.
This cache has information about Sojourner Truth inside that should be read and replaced in the cache. This information is reproduced here as well. There are also trinkets for trade.
After Sojourner Truth walked to freedom she fought for both civil rights and women’s rights. She travelled around the country & made many speeches. One of her most famous speeches is “Ain’t I a woman?” That speech was given at the Women’s Convention in Akron, Ohio on May 29, 1851. Enclosed is the first recorded version of her speech “Ain’t I a woman?” and you might notice she doesn’t say Ain’t I a Woman in it once! This version, recorded by Marius Robinson, was published in the June 21st 1851 issue of the Anti-Slavery Bugle.
“I want to say a few words about this matter. I am a woman's rights. I have as much muscle as any man, and can do as much work as any man. I have plowed and reaped and husked and chopped and mowed, and can any man do more than that? I have heard much about the sexes being equal. I can carry as much as any man, and can eat as much too, if I can get it. I am as strong as any man that is now. As for intellect, all I can say is, if a woman have a pint, and a man a quart – why can't she have her little pint full? You need not be afraid to give us our rights for fear we will take too much, – for we can't take more than our pint'll hold. The poor men seems to be all in confusion, and don't know what to do. Why children, if you have woman's rights, give it to her and you will feel better. You will have your own rights, and they won't be so much trouble. I can't read, but I can hear. I have heard the bible and have learned that Eve caused man to sin. Well, if woman upset the world, do give her a chance to set it right side up again. The Lady has spoken about Jesus, how he never spurned woman from him, and she was right. When Lazarus died, Mary and Martha came to him with faith and love and besought him to raise their brother. And Jesus wept and Lazarus came forth. And how came Jesus into the world? Through God who created him and the woman who bore him. Man, where was your part? But the women are coming up blessed be God and a few of the men are coming up with them. But man is in a tight place, the poor slave is on him, woman is coming on him, he is surely between a hawk and a buzzard.”
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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