Isabella Sojourner Truth Cady Hockman Isabella Sojourner Truth is believed to have been born is 1797. She was born a slave in Ulster County, New York (Scruggs 474). She was born Isabella Baumfree, but later changed her name when she took up preaching (Scruggs 474). Truth was released from her life of slavery in 1828, “under a New York law that banned slavery” (Scruggs 474).