New Statue at Walkway Over the Hudson State Park Honors 19th Century African American Abolitionist and Suffragist Sojourner Truth
Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul joined State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid to commemorate the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage by unveiling of a seven-foot bronze statue of eminent abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth at Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park in Ulster County. Governor Andrew M. Cuomo commissioned the statue as part of an effort to more fully include and represent women and people of all races and creeds who have contributed to the history of New York State.
Created by Yonkers sculptor Vinnie Bagwell, the statue includes text, Braille and symbols to encourage viewers to walk around it and study its surface. The folds of Truth’s skirt act as a canvas to depict Sojourner's life experiences, including images of a young enslaved mother comforting her child, a slavery sale sign, images of her abolitionist peers, and a poster for a Women's Suffrage March.
Born enslaved in the Hudson Valley as Isabella Bomefree (Baumfree), she freed herself in 1826, one year before legal enslavement ended in New York. Naming herself Sojourner Truth, she became one of the nation's leading voices for abolition and universal suffrage in the 19th century.
In support of the installation, New York State Parks added educational content to its website, including information and videos on Sojourner Truth, Vinnie Bagwell's sculpture, the women's suffrage movement, and voter registration information. Learn more