Ulster County can expect a new State Park named after abolitionist and suffragist Sojourner Truth as early as this spring.
This comes as New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the 500-acre project as the first State Park in the City of Kingston and the first new State Park to open since July 2019.
“It is fitting such a magnificent property with its cliffs and Hudson shoreline bears the name of a remarkable woman who started life right here in Ulster County,” Hochul said. “New York is committed to reflecting the diverse stories of its people, such as Sojourner Truth and her message of freedom and equality, that have influenced our state’s inspiring history.”
After winning a lawsuit to regain custody of her son, Sojourner Truth became the first African American woman to prevail in court against a white person. As a leading abolitionist during the 19th century, she fought for women’s rights and racial equality.
In August 2020, State Parks installed a statue of her at the western entrance to the Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park in Highland, Ulster County, and dedicated it to the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in a ceremony attended by one of her descendants.
This time, State Parks partnered with the not-for-profit environmental group Scenic Hudson to purchase the land for $13.5 million.
The park will open to the public once limited parking and hiking trails are installed.
