The Elate Eight continues today as Sojourner Truth takes on Absalom Jones. Unfair? Of course! It's Lent Madness after all.
To make it to this point, Sojourner sojourned her way past Soren Kierkegaard and Frances Joseph-Gaudet while Absalom sailed past Matthias before sneaking by Joseph.
Yesterday, Constance became the first Lent Madness 2016 participant to reach the Faithful Four, defeating Vida Dutton Scudder 61% to 39%. It's safe to say that, in Constance, we truly do have a Cinderella of this year's bracket! She'll face the winner of Albert Schweitzer and Julian of Norwich in the Faithful Four.
And speaking of brackets and Cinderellas, don't miss our saintly analysis of the NCAA college basketball tournament in Lent Madness meets March Madness. The march to the Faithful Four continues!
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth is so awesome that her kitsch itself is precedent-setting. For example, Sojourner is the first Black American woman to have a bust in the US Capitol, which is pretty neat. (Despite the fact it took until 2006 to get this done. I’m going to ignore the fact you were really late to the party, US Capitol folks, and just celebrate you decided to show up at all.)
During her lifetime, Sojourner made her own kitsch. That’s right--that’s how awesome she was. In the late 1800s, it was customary for photographers to retain the rights to the photos they made. However, Sojourner had none of this. Like an early media maven, she demanded the rights to her own name and image, and sold photo cards of herself at all her speaking appearances, as an extra way to make money. For a former slave, this was an incredible way to assert autonomy over herself, and set a powerful precedent about her right to be reckoned with on her own terms. These photo cards are available on eBay, and the quote she includes on them “I sell the shadow in order to support the substance” is dead-on. The lady did not mess around. 
Of course, after her death, lots of other people messed around all over the place. Hence, the rise of some really curious memorabilia. Sojourner dictated her own autobiography (entitled The Narrative of Sojourner Truth, naturally) and her life was really sad and violent, but this did not stop a surprising number of children’s biographies about her from hitting the streets. Including this one with a truly frightening cover.
In keeping with the “teach the children” theme, there is also a finger puppet, for the non-literate set. (Head is normal size.)
And if you prefer to educate people indirectly, there are Sojourner Truth 
cufflinks
and a Sojourner Truth pocket mirror. (Because nothing screams “Prophet of God’s Radical Love!” like cufflinks.)
But maybe music is what you prefer? Lots of musical artists have found Sojourner’s life inspiring, including (not making this up) The Deedle Deedle Dees, who have a song about her on their album, which also features such feel-good dittys as “Phineas Gage Has Something To Tell These People” (yup) and the classic “Mayor LaGuardia’s Stomach” (of course.)
Less upsettingly, there is also Langston Hughes (yes! that Langston Hughes!) who has a recording in which he recounts events in Black history, including Sojourner’s life. His stories are interspersed with freedom songs and chants, by people like Leadbelly and others.
But I have saved the most spectacular for last. I ask you to cast your mind back, back to a 
simpler time in the late 1990s, and the first time we sent a robot to Mars. That’s right! Sojourner Truth has a space robot named after her!!!!
The Sojourner JPL Rover, as named by a 12-year old girl in an essay contest, landed on Mars, and then was promptly never heard from again. (Whoops). But, this did not prevent its extensive merchandising, including HotWheels!
And, in the movie The Martian, when Matt Damon needs some high-tech rescuing; when he is stranded alone, afraid, and in need of a friendly voice, who saves the day?
SOJOURNER, THE FORGOTTEN MARS ROVER.
Even in the imaginary world of near-future science fiction, Sojourner Truth manages to bring hope and love to the furthest reaches of the human experience.
ON MARS.
Absalom Jones
On January 1, 1808, the Rev. Absalom Jones stood on the lectern of Philadelphia’s African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas (then located at the corner of Fifth and Adelphi streets) and gave a rousing sermon. He wasn’t there to talk about slavery and bondage. He was there to speak about deliverance!
Born a slave, Absalom worked during the night for many years in order to buy his wife’s freedom, and
later his own. He was industrious. With his master’s permission, he went to school to learn how to read and write. Perhaps this is why you can now see his wax likeness at the Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore. The statue's unveiling took place at a meeting of the Union of Black Episcopalians at the Diocese of Maryland's Cathedral of the Incarnation
Absalom Jones loved the church. He became a lay minister at the interracial congregation of St. George's Methodist Church. He was one of the first African Americans licensed to preach in a Methodist church. Perhaps this is why William Faulkner wrote a book titled Absalom, Absalom!
Absalom Jones knew that being a Christian entails having a higher standard! When he and other African-Americans were asked to move to the balcony of the church, he and all the others decided to walk out—an action that resulted in the formation of the Free African Society and the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas. Perhaps this is why he apparently loved football.
Absalom Jones was charitable. When Philadelphia was struck with yellow fever ("Absalom Would Go?"), Absalom 
Jones assisted Dr. Benjamin Rush in helping people afflicted by the plague. Jones' corps of black Philadelphians helped nurse the sick, as well as bury the dead. Jones sometimes worked through the night taking care of the sick. During those days, almost twenty times more black people helped the plague-struck than did whites. Perhaps this is why he was once portrayed in a "Testimony Dance Drama" at a church in North Carolina.
Although Absalom Jones died in 1818, the issue of his time, slavery, points directly toward our day. How much would he have enjoyed seeing the Thirteen Amendment being ratified, hearing Martin Luther King speak at the Lincoln Memorial, watching Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration! Perhaps this is why his ashes are are kept on display in a bronze, Bible-shaped box in a chapel dedicated to him at the church he founded in Philadelphia.
Jones finished his 1808 sermon with this heartfelt prayer: “Give peace in our day, we beseech thee, O thou God of peace! And grant, that this highly favored country may continue to afford a safe and peaceful retreat from the calamities of war and slavery, for ages yet to come.”
-- Hugo Olaiz
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158 comments on “Sojourner Truth vs. Absalom Jones”
Well, needless to say I'm definitely not a Kitsch Krank. I love the Absalom Jones wax figure. But Sojourner's kitsch indeed takes it to a whole new level. I'm fascinated by the photo cards that she sold- what an amazing historical detail. Megan Castellan again did a great job on her write-up, but I would have voted for Sojourner regardless. The more I read about her, the more I come to appreciate this woman of God.
Wow! Even their kitsch is inspirational. I used to live down the street from a lovely statue of Sojourner in Florence MA., a very noble bit of kitsch that I visited frequently. She gets my vote, but no disrespect to Absalom. Next time I am in Philadelphia, I will make a pilgrimage to see those ashes! Great job, both bloggers!
Both candidates are admirable, but I cannot resist Megan's write-up. Sojourner for me.
This was the day I dreaded. As soon as I saw the bracket, I knew it would come down to this. I love the Sojourner Truth rover, but I knew I had to back Absalom all the way when I first saw his name, in honor of our annual Absalom Jones celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. Sojourner, it is apparent I will be backing you in the Faithful Four, as I see how the voting is going, but for now, it's Absalom, Absalom!
The cufflinks are the epitome of kitsch! She reinvented herself, captured the attention of so many during her own lifetime, and capitalized on her fame. A true American success story, and she did it all while serving God. Absolom Jones will just have to go through at least one more round of Lent Madness, but given that he put his wife before himself, I think he'd gladly allow Sojourner Truth to spring ahead of him to the Golden Halo.
Oh, you are helping me make my decision. Will Absalom truly understand?
Sojourner for the win! Absolom Jones isn't on Mars
The library at SUNY-New Paltz is named for Sojourner Truth https://library.newpaltz.edu/banner/archives/stcoll2.html
I, too, was conflicted about which saint to vote for. I decided on Absolom Jones because I worked in Philadelphia for many years and a few years ago had the privilege of hearing the choir from his church, St. Thomas, in concert.
I voted for Absolom Jones because he, like Constance and her companions, did not fear to help the ill - even breaking conventions of his time to do so.
I'm with you on the likeness to Constance and caring for the sick, the contagious sick. But I'm also voting for him because he wasn't afraid to stand up against the church but did not leave it!
what a tough decision! Both deserve the halo.
Love them both! Such faith as theirs we cannot even imagine today. But I must go with the poor little slave woman whose strength and courage sent her name to Mars so many years later
Wanted to vote for both! Decided on Sojourner because she had the additional challenge of being a woman.
Impossible choice but then I was captured by Absalom's prayer for peace - decision made!
Faulkner's novel is a nice addition to the kitsch, and it is one of my favorites. Of course the title refers to David's lament in the Bible when he learned of the death of his son Absalom: "Would that I had died instead of you! Oh Absalom! Absalom! My son, my son!" What a tough choice today! I finally voted for Sojourner Truth.
Amazon has Sojourner Truth's autobiography available FREE for kindle - you just download it and read.
Thank you so much for alerting us to the Amazon offer!
I had a feeling ... reading the comments in the first round ... that this popularity contest would end up being between Constance and Sojourner, with Sojourner taking the halo. So I thought about going with Jones today. But since I am more annoyed that he beat Joseph than I am that Truth beat Gaudet ... I guess I'll go with the popular vote today.
This is perhaps the hardest decision I've ever made, but....I'm voting for Absalom Jones. Mostly because I'm biased. I've heard my boyfriend enthusiastically recall the story of Absalom, how he stood up for his rights and made Episcopal history by doing so. My boyfriend, being an African American aspirant to the Episcopal priesthood, holds Absalom in high regards.
My boyfriend was also elected to represent his chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians at the convention in Baltimore mentioned in this post. I remember him talking about the uncanny wax statue.
So for those reasons, I'm voting for Absalom Jones.
Oh, dear, this has me swinging back to Absalom. I am so proud of what he did for the Episcopal Church. Yikes. Which way do I go?
I've been voting in Lent Madness since 2012, and I think it is getting tougher to choose all the time! This year's saints are wonderful, and the celebrity bloggers are doing a marvelous job! I agree with Lisa Rose that it is a shame Joseph was eliminated - after all, without his obedience to God and protection of Mary and Jesus, would we even have Christianity today? And I was disappointed when Kateri Tekawitha was eliminated in the close contest with Columba. However the Elate 8 are all clearly worthy of the Golden Halo.......congratulations to the Lent Madness team!
I, too, was very disappointed when Joseph lost. He has always been dear to my heart, and a good Patron to me.
What great kitsch today. Sojourner has the best of the bunch so far and she got my vote. I didn't even have to read the comments before voting today. I see difficult days ahead as the bracket gets smaller.
Although I voted for Sojourner Truth, I wanted to vote for both. Here's another accomplishment of Absalom Jones: he was a Black Mason, and initiated the founding of African Lodge #459 in Philadelphia on March 22, 1797, according to a Web posting. I Googled him to find more info.
Great posts about both! Thanks.
And thanks to you, Christine, for adding this info on a Masonic connection. You probably know this already, but shortly before Absalom Jones's time Mozart was an active Mason in Vienna, and one of the lodges he belonged to, the "True Harmony" Lodge, had an African slave as one of its members. Angelo Soliman (Angelus Solimanus) played a major role in the development of Masonic ritual, and there is reason to believe that he was the model for a character in one of Mozart's operas. The whole of his story is well worth reading (there's a pretty good summary on Wikipedia).
Ah, a new bit Mozartiana! Thanks, John.
I am such an Absalom fan, but I am so impressed by Sojourner's ingenuity and ability to use her photograph to support herself -- that could not have been an easy task in her era.
I also love the cufflinks and that we sojourned to Mars. Oh, Absalom, do forgive me.
I voted for Sojourner, but it was painful not to vote for Absalom.
If you think today is hard for choosing, just wait until the Bonhoeffer-Columba match-up. Still, it;s called LENT MADNESS to make you think...and cry and yank out your hair, Neverthelesss, as an Episcopal deacon, I go with Absalom Jones. In spite of being denied entry into Episcopal churches when I was growing up, I was confirmed and then ordained and remain an Episcopalian in spite of other ways of denying members of their rights. Nobody ever said it would be easy. The kitsch is fun and is not meant to be derogatory. Lighten up, folks ! Blog on, me hearties ! Forgive me Sojourner !
You Celebrity bloggers did not make it easy today. I need to get the right shirt sleeves for my SJ cuff links.
Sojourner so captivated me in the previous round that even a gobsmacking array of Absalom kitsch wouldn't have changed my vote, much as I revere him. In fact Sojourner and her biographer have iced the kitschly cake with an offering worthy of Padre Pio. Truth must prevail!
It was supposed to be ST cufflinks. I just woke up and can't do a thing with my fingers.
So you're not wearing Jesuit cufflinks after all? 😉
this is true
I vote for Sojourner Truth because I am a woman, a trailblazer in a very small way, and I am so grateful for her leadership. But thank God for the ministry of all these saints!
Kistch Krank Alert: The Sojourner rover WAS heard from after it landed on Mars. Sojourner operated successfully on Mars and transmitted data back to Earth for 3 months. It was designed to last only 7 days. The rover showed the same persistence and communication skills that Sojourner Truth showed in her fight against slavery. And yes, I voted for Sojourner.
Kudos to Megan and Hugo for the best Kitsch round I can remember! I laughed (The Deedle Deedle Dees song-naming practices), I was inspired and informed (didn't know that the Sojourner Rover was named for Sojourner Truth) and I teared up (at the photo of Absalom Jones and our new presiding Bishop). A lovely way to start the day!
Sojourner Truth, seeker of truth and justice, wins my vote.
I love reviewing the bios and quotes and quirks, before perusing the kitsch and then voting. This round is always the most fun.