Sojourner Truth will Become the First Black Woman Honored with a Bust in the U.S. Capitol

In October of 2008, the National Congress of Black Women, Inc. (NCBW) will take Truth to the U.S. Capitol. United States Congress finally passed the bill to place the bust of Sojourner Truth in the Capitol. Under the original leadership of Dr. C. DeLores Tucker, NCBW began a campaign to add the bust of Sojourner Truth to the Portrait Monument along side Susan B. Anthony and others who'd also worked for women to get the right to vote -- as she worked to abolish slavery -- but that bill never passed.

The bill was reintroduced last year to have a stand alone bust for Sojourner, and under the leadership of Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee in the House and Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Arlen Specter in the Senate, the bill passed.

Excited that Truth will finally come to the Capitol, the National Congress of Black Women have planned educational programs that will be presented in all levels of classrooms around the country. The National Congress of Black Women are asking the public to mark their calendars and save the date for the second Wednesday of October 2008 to be present when this historic event takes place in Washington, DC. Sojourner Truth will become the first Black woman to be honored with a bust in the U.S. Capitol.

Before we can do that, however, the National Congress of Black Women must raise funds.

The National Congress of Black Women encourages the public to assist in raising funds by hosting fundraisers across the country during the next six months to pay the sculptor and for ceremonial events. Artis Lane of Los Angeles, California has worked with the National Congress of Black Women during the past 10 years since they started the campaign to bring Truth to the Capitol, and she will sculpt the bust. Our down payment to the artist must be made in October of 2007, with another payment due in February, and the final payment in June 2008.

One of our members, Portia Dempsey, sent letters, with a Patrons' list to 100 of her friends asking for just $20.00 on each list, suggesting they ask 20 of their friends for $1.00 or personally make the $20.00 contribution, and you know what? She received 100 percent responses and raised $2, 000.00. Another member, Gladys Evans went to the Mall in her area with a table and literature about Sojourner, and came away with $2,000.00 for the bust. You may think of other creative ways to get the job done. Sojourner will be representing all of us!

For your convenience, you may donate online via the National Congress of Black Women website.

Call and let the National Congress of Black Women know how much you are willing to raise, as soon as possible. They will provide you with all the information you need to get the job done. Ask your friends, your neighbors, your churches, your sororities, fraternities, lodges, your beauty shops, your co-workers. How could anyone say "No" to putting Truth in the Capitol! Please let the National Congress of Black Women hear from you. You may reach them at (202) 678-6788 or (202) 554-0159 or info@npcbw.org.

Since the National Congress of Black Women is a 501 (c)(3) organization, contributions are tax-deductible.

Source
Letter, Dr. E. Faye Williams, Chair of NCBW