15 Facts About Frances Titus

Frances W Titus was an American abolitionist and suffragist who is best known for being the confidante, secretary, tour director, financial manager, and editor of Sojourner Truth's biography, Narrative of Sojourner Truth.

Frances Titus led important reform movements as the founder of a school for freed slave men and played a major role in local and state suffrage movements.

Captain Frances Titus became a sea captain at eighteen years of age.

Frances Titus died on April 19,1894, in Battle Creek, Michigan.

Frances Titus initially met with Sojourner Truth in 1856 among Progressive Friends.

Frances Titus worked with Josephine Griffing of the Freedman's Bureau in Washington DC in December 1866 to help eight freed slave men start new lives in finding jobs and housing.

Frances Titus worked with Sojourner Truth in Rochester, New York to have freedmen resettle to that area.

Frances Titus founded a school in 1867 to teach adult African Americans to read, write and to do basic arithmetic problems.

Frances Titus entertained the strident abolitionist Parker Pillsbury when he visited the city.

Frances Titus focused on the Suffrage Movement in Michigan and kept in contact with Truth, who worked the lecture circuit.

Frances Titus played a major role in being one of the founders of the Michigan Suffrage Association.

Frances Titus served on the executive committees of the state and national suffrage organizations.

Frances Titus helped Truth write her narrative Narrative of Sojourner Truth, which was published in 1875.

Frances Titus wrote updates to the 1878 and 1884 versions, using newspaper clippings, letters, and other documents that Truth had collected.

Frances Titus edited the book to place Truth in a more favorable light and removed some information about Truth's birth and speculated that she was 20 years older than originally thought, which helped fuel legends about her age.