Ain't I a Woman? (Speech) Lesson Plan

How would you describe the overarching message of the “Ain’t I a Woman” speech?

Some students will focus on the women’s rights aspect and say that Sojourner Truth’s main point is to offer counter-arguments to the main arguments against women’s rights. These include the idea that Eve was the reason for the fall of man, that women are not as smart as men, and that women are not as strong as men. Truth works to dispel each of those arguments. In the second version of the speech, the notations suggest she is even directly speaking to members of the audience. Other students may focus on the fact that Truth is an abolitionist. They may see the ways in which race appears in the...