U.S. House passes legislation to rename Battle Creek post office

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. — Going to the post office in Battle Creek will now take on a whole new meaning after legislation was passed to name it after Sojourner Truth.

"It really happened that our post office in Battle Creek is going to be named after Sojourner Truth," said Donna Rickman, one of the directors of the Battle Creek Reginal History Museum. As a scholar and historian of the life of Sojourner Truth, she is still in shock.

Sojourner Truth escaped slavery in 1826 and made Battle Creek her home in 1867. Fighting against slavery and advocating for women's rights, she became known around the country

"An illiterate woman who could not read nor write," Rickman said. "How ironic that our legislature in Michigan would want such an occasion to occur."

Recently, the U.S. House unanimously passed legislation to rename the post office on McCamly Street after her.

"The fact that her remains are in Battle Creek shows that this is home, and we need to make sure that we are honoring her and recognizing her for her amazing work," said Congressman Bill Huizenga.

Huizenga introduced the legislation in May. He says they were able to work "across bipartisan lines" with Senator Gary Peters to make this happen.

"We're struggling to find things to agree on, sometimes out in Washington, DC, but Sojourner Truth's importance to the history of Michigan and the history of our country was an easy one," he said.

While Sojourner Truth may not have been able to write her own letters, her legacy will travel with every envelope that passes through the post office.

"Her calling was to read the people, read the situations that she was involved with, and make changes that way," Rickman told FOX 17.

Before the bill delivers on its promise, it has to head to the president's desk for stamp and approval.