Jim Eldridge - Who Was Sojourner Truth?

Sometime around 1797, a baby girl was born to slaves named James and Betsey. She was called Isabella. Her nickname was Belle. Because her parents were slaves, Isabella was a slave, too. This meant that they belonged to someone. They were not free. Their master was a white man named Johannes Hardenbergh. Since Mr. Hardenbergh was from Holland, he spoke Dutch. That was the language Belle grew up speaking, too.

James and Betsey worked very hard on Mr. Hardenberghs farm. He did not pay them. They could not leave. They had to do whatever he wanted. It was a harsh and terrible life. They had many childrenmaybe as many as twelve. Almost all of them were sold by Mr. Hardenbergh. Betsey and James never saw these children again.

The farm Belle and her parents lived on was in Swartekill, New York. Many people think that slavery only existed in Southern states like Virginia, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. But back in the 1700s, slavery was legal in many Northern states, too.

When Belle was about three, Johannes Hardenbergh died. His son Charles inherited all his property. This meant Charles owned his fathers house, his land, his horses, and his cows. And his fathers slaves.

Charles took the slaves and the animals to his home. He had no room for these people, so they had to live in the cellar. The cellar was cold, dark, and damp. It was smelly and crowded, tootwelve slaves lived there. Belles bed was a wooden board.

Not long after her family moved to the cellar, Belle had a surprise. It was a new baby brother. His name was Peter.

Betsey was happy about her son. But Betsey also worried. Her other children had been sold. Belle and Peter might be sold, too. Betsey hoped that God would protect them. As Betseys children grew, she told them about God, who was in heaven. Whenever they were scared or sad, they could always ask God for help.

In 1806, Charles Hardenbergh died. Belle was about nine. What would happen to her family now? Shortly after the funeral, Charless property was sold off. By this time, Belles father, James, could no longer do much work. His back was bent and stooped. He also had arthritis, a disease that crippled his hands and legs.

Slaves like James were hard to sell. Often they ended up getting turned out by their masters. This meant that they were free. But they were not given a place to live or any money to live on. They were old and often sick, so they could not take care of themselves. As a result, these slaves often died. Along with James, Betsey was turned out. Where would they go? They begged to stay. The Hardenbergh family agreed. They could remain in the cellar.

Belle and Peter were young and able to work hard. Healthy slaves, especially boys, were worth a lot of money. At a slave auction, they both were sold. Peter was sold first.

He went to a man who did not live close by. Belle was so sad. But she remembered what her mother had said about God. He would protect her. So Belle silently repeated a prayer she knew.

After Peter was sold and led away, it was Belles turn on the block. The auctioneer called out her name and told the buyers about her. She did not speak English, only Dutch, so she could not understand what he said. But she got the idea loud and clear.

At first there were no buyers. Then the auctioneer added a flock of sheep. Finally a man named John Neely bought her for one hundred dollars.

SLAVE AUCTIONS

WHEN SLAVES FROM AFRICA WERE BROUGHT TO THE UNITED STATES, THEY WERE SOLD AT AUCTION. HELD IN PENS, THEIR SKIN WAS SMEARED WITH GREASE OR TAR TO MAKE IT LOOK HEALTHY. THEY WERE BRANDED LIKE CATTLE. BUYERS FORCED THEIR MOUTHS OPEN TO SEE IF THEY HAD GOOD TEETH, AND TESTED THEIR MUSCLES FOR STRENGTH. THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST-LOOKING SLAVES WERE BOUGHT FIRST BECAUSE IT WAS THOUGHT THEY COULD WORK THE HARDEST. FAMILIES WERE SPLIT UP, AND NEVER SAW EACH OTHER AGAIN.

IN A GRAB AND GO AUCTION, THE BUYER GAVE THE SLAVE TRADER A SET AMOUNT OF MONEY. A DRUMROLL SOUNDED AND THE SLAVE PEN OPENED. THE BUYER RUSHED IN AND GRABBED THE SLAVE OR SLAVES THAT HE WANTED. IN A HIGHEST BIDDER AUCTION, SLAVES WERE SHOWN ONE AT A TIME. IF MORE THAN ONE BUYER WANTED A SLAVE, THE BUYERS WOULD BID. THE BUYER WHO BID THE MOST MONEY WON.