If you’re looking for the quick answer, Sojourner Truth died on November 26, 1883.
She was at her home in Battle Creek, Michigan. Most historians agree she was roughly 86 years old, though if you’d asked her family or the newspapers at the time, they would have told you she was over 100. It’s one of those weird historical quirks where the legend of someone's life becomes so big that even their age starts to feel like a tall tale.
Honestly, the story of her final days is just as intense as the rest of her life. She didn't just fade away. She spent her last years still trying to change the world from a little house on College Street.
The Morning of November 26, 1883
Truth had been struggling with her health for a while. She had these ulcers on her legs—some records call them "fever sores"—that just wouldn't quit. Even so, she was a fighter. She had spent decades walking across the country, preaching, and demanding rights for Black people and women.
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By 1883, that traveling had finally caught up with her.
She was surrounded by her daughters and friends when she passed. It wasn't some dramatic, Hollywood-style exit with a long, flowery speech. It was quiet. It was the end of a very long, very exhausting journey.
Why the confusion about her age?
When she died, some reports claimed she was 105.
The New York Times and other big papers at the time ran obituaries that leaned into this "ancient prophetess" vibe.
But here’s the thing: Truth was born Isabella Baumfree in Ulster County, New York, around 1797. Because she was born into slavery, there wasn't a birth certificate sitting in a file cabinet somewhere. She estimated her own age based on which master she was serving and which Dutch festivals were happening at the time.
If we do the math from her 1826 escape, she was likely 86. Still a massive lifespan for the 19th century, especially for someone who had survived the physical toll of enslavement.
What Happened at the Funeral in Battle Creek?
The funeral was a huge deal.
Battle Creek basically came to a standstill. We're talking about a crowd of nearly 1,000 people—which was a lot for a small Michigan town in the 1880s—shuffling into the First Congregational Church to say goodbye.
- The Date: November 28, 1883.
- The Vibe: Respectful but massive. People from all walks of life showed up.
- The Burial: She was laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery.
If you ever visit Battle Creek, you can still see her grave. It’s a simple spot, but it’s become a bit of a pilgrimage site for people who care about civil rights.
Misconceptions About When Did Sojourner Truth Die
You’ll sometimes see people confuse her with Harriet Tubman.
Tubman lived much longer, dying in 1913. Truth belonged to an earlier generation of activists. She was the one who met Abraham Lincoln in 1864 and told him he was doing a decent job, even if she thought he was a bit slow on the uptake regarding full equality.
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Another weird myth? Some people think she died in poverty or totally alone.
While she wasn't "rich" by modern standards, she was a savvy businessperson. She sold her own biography (the Narrative of Sojourner Truth) and "shadow" photographs of herself to fund her life. She owned her home. She had a support system. She died as a famous, respected, and relatively independent woman—which was a miracle given where she started.
What She Was Doing Right Before the End
A lot of folks think that once the Civil War ended, Truth just retired.
Nope.
In her late 70s and early 80s, she was obsessed with the "Exodusters." These were formerly enslaved people moving to Kansas to try and build their own lives. She lobbied Congress (unsuccessfully, unfortunately) to give them actual land grants. She believed that freedom without resources was just a different kind of trap.
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She was also still deep into the Women's Suffrage movement. Even as her legs gave out, her voice didn't. She kept reminding white suffragists that if they didn't include Black women, their movement was hollow.
Basically, she worked until she physically couldn't stand up anymore.
How to Honor Her Legacy Today
If you want to do more than just memorize a date, here are a few ways to actually engage with her history:
- Read the Real Version of Her Speech: Most people know the "Ain't I a Woman?" speech, but the famous version was rewritten by a white woman named Frances Dana Barker Gage years later to make Truth sound like a Southerner. Truth actually grew up speaking Low Dutch in New York. Seek out the Marius Robinson transcript from 1851 for a more authentic look at her words.
- Visit the Monument: There is a massive 12-foot statue of her in Battle Creek’s Monument Park. It’s worth a look if you’re ever in Michigan.
- Support Land and Housing Initiatives: Since Truth’s last big fight was for land for the "Exodusters," supporting modern organizations that focus on Black land ownership and housing equity is a direct line to her unfinished business.
Sojourner Truth lived a life that felt like three lifetimes. When she died in 1883, the world lost a woman who had quite literally walked herself out of chains and into the halls of power.
She’s buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Plot 163, if you ever want to go say thanks.
To dig deeper into her actual words, track down a copy of her Narrative. It was dictated to her friend Olive Gilbert because Truth never learned to read or write, but her intellect shines through every single page. You can also visit the Sojourner Truth Institute website to find archives of her correspondence and travel logs from her final decade in Michigan.