Being alive during the 19th century was an especially trying time for African Americans and women. Sojourner Truth, who was both, was negatively impacted by racism and sexism every single day. Having to endure 13 child births, and also having to watch each of her children be sold to slavery, was just a taste of what her life was like. In Aint I A Woman, Sojourner Truth uses her words to expose and call out her oppressors in addition to motivating her audience of black women to also call for justice.
In the text, Truth juxtaposes 19th century society's views both black and white women through how they are seen and treated. In the text, she mentions how men view women as delicate and need to be helped and pampered to, however, this train of thought does apply to black women as herself, who carries out male occupations on a daily and has never been treated with as much respect as a white woman.
In addition to tackling racism, Truth also uses the white man's weapon against him: the Bible. She references Jesus and Mary along with Adam and Eve when making her argument about women. She first talks about the popular misconception that women can't have as much rights as men because Jesus was a man, but then she fires back with about how womankind gave birth to mankind. The popular analogy with the Bible and Christianity helps Truth identify her audience and use their logic against them. She then speaks directly to the women reading this by mentioning how if one woman, Eve, could turn the world upside down, then the combined effort of all women would be sufficient enough to turn the world right side up.
Thus, Truth writes in order to inform and to expose the evils of mankind. She is trying her best, as an oppressed woman and black American at the time, to shine light on the situations needed to be addressed in America.
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