"Truth is powerful and it prevails"
About this Quote
The genius is in the double meaning of “truth.” It’s both the moral concept and the speaker herself. By taking the name Sojourner Truth, she made her identity a claim that demands a response: if “Truth” is in the room, everyone else has to explain why they’re still committed to the fiction. That turns a spiritual-sounding aphorism into a rhetorical trap. Opponents can dispute policies, but disputing “truth” marks them as defenders of a lie.
“Prevails” is the hardest word here. It’s not “wins quickly” or “is recognized.” It’s endurance language - the theology of survival and the politics of abolition folded together. In the 19th century, “truth” had to compete with courts, churches, newspapers, and mobs. Claiming it will prevail is less prediction than strategy: faith as fuel, certainty as a tool for organizing. When you’re asking audiences to risk their safety for justice, you don’t offer nuance; you offer a spine.
Quote Details
| Topic | Truth |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Truth, Sojourner. (2026, January 15). Truth is powerful and it prevails. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/truth-is-powerful-and-it-prevails-163105/
Chicago Style
Truth, Sojourner. "Truth is powerful and it prevails." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/truth-is-powerful-and-it-prevails-163105/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Truth is powerful and it prevails." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/truth-is-powerful-and-it-prevails-163105/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.











