Amanda Smith

Amanda Berry Smith (January 23, 1837 - February 24, 1915) was a former slave who became an inspiration to thousands of women both black and white. She was equally at home in the slums of a large city, or the stately homes of the nobility. Redeemed, first from slavery and then from the bondage of sin, she traveled all over the world, testifying to rich and poor alike about the necessity and the power of a sanctified life.
Amanda's autobiography is quaint and truthful. She painstakingly relates details of her life as a humble washerwoman cum evangelist, thus opening a window into her world which is of value and interest to Christians and non Christians alike.
Living when she did, Amanda faced many obstacles in her faith journey. An African American woman preacher was bound to be anathema to many, even within the church, but this intrepid evangelist was consumed by the message of Christ's full and free salvation and was not going to allow prejudice of any nature to deter her. Amanda often abashed and silenced her enemies through a winning combination of truth, love, and utter devotion to the Master she served.