Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. After escaping slavery, Tubman made around 13 missions to rescue about 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends, using a network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army.

Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman faced harsh treatment as a child. She later escaped to Philadelphia in 1849 and returned several times to help others gain freedom. She was called "Moses" for her efforts in guiding people to safety. After the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, she helped many find refuge in British North America (Canada).

When the Civil War began, Tubman supported the Union Army in many roles, including as a cook, nurse, and eventually as a leader of military operations. She is remembered as the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the United States. In her later years, Tubman worked for women's suffrage and lived in Auburn, New York, where she cared for her family and others. She is celebrated as a symbol of courage and freedom.

Birth and family

See also: Harriet Tubman's birthplace and Harriet Tubman's family

Harriet Tubman, born Araminta "Minty" Ross, grew up in a difficult time as the child of enslaved parents, Harriet ("Rit") Green and Ben Ross. Rit was enslaved by a woman named Mary Pattison Brodess, while Ben worked on a large plantation near the Blackwater River in Dorchester County, Maryland. Though the exact year of her birth is uncertain, historians believe she was born around March 1822.

Tubman's family faced many hardships under slavery. Her mother struggled hard to keep her children together, even hiding her youngest son, Moses, when a trader wanted to buy him. This strong spirit of resistance helped shape Tubman's later fight against slavery.

Childhood

Harriet Tubman's mother had little time for her family, so young Harriet often cared for her younger siblings. As a child, she was hired out to care for a baby, where she faced harsh treatment and was whipped for doing her job. Despite this, she found ways to resist, such as running away for a few days.

Later, Tubman worked for another person where she fell very ill but recovered with her mother's care. As she grew older, she took on harder jobs like working in fields and hauling logs. When she was a teenager, she suffered a serious head injury when a heavy metal weight struck her during a conflict. This injury caused her terrible headaches and seizures for the rest of her life. After this, she began having vivid dreams and visions that she believed were messages from God, shaping her strong faith and determination.

Family and first husband

After her father was promised freedom by Anthony Thompson and later freed by his son in 1840, Harriet Tubman continued working for the Thompson family. She later hired a lawyer to look into her mother's legal status and found that she should have been freed at age 45, along with her children. However, this law was ignored by the people who owned her family.

Around 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, a free black man. Because Harriet was still enslaved, any children they had would also be enslaved. Marriages between free and enslaved people were common in the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where many African-American families had both free and enslaved members. Harriet changed her name from Araminta to Harriet after she got married, possibly to honor her mother or as part of her plan to escape slavery.

Escape from slavery

In 1849, Harriet Tubman decided to escape from slavery after her master tried to sell her. She had already suffered illness and felt angry at being treated unfairly. With her brothers Ben and Henry, she escaped on September 17, 1849, but they later returned, leaving Tubman to escape alone.

Tubman used a secret network called the Underground Railroad to reach freedom. This network included free and enslaved black people, white abolitionists, and others who helped people escape slavery. She traveled at night, guided by the North Star, and hid during the day. After a long and dangerous journey, she finally reached Pennsylvania, feeling a great sense of relief and freedom.

Nicknamed "Moses"

After escaping slavery, Harriet Tubman thought of her family. She wanted them to be free too. The government had passed a law making it harder for escaped slaves to stay free, so Tubman knew she had to act quickly.

Tubman made many trips back to Maryland to help her family and others escape. She guided about 70 enslaved people to freedom, including her brothers and their families. She became known as “Moses” because, like the biblical leader, she led people to freedom. Tubman was very clever and careful. She traveled at night and used secret routes to avoid being caught. She even disguised herself to avoid recognition.

Tubman trusted her faith and used songs to send secret messages to those traveling with her. She carried a gun to protect the group and ensure everyone reached freedom. Despite many dangers, Tubman was never captured, and she never lost anyone she was helping.

John Brown and Harpers Ferry

Main article: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

In 1858, Harriet Tubman met abolitionist John Brown, who believed in using bold actions to fight slavery. She supported his ideas and helped him plan an important raid on Harpers Ferry in Virginia. Tubman shared her knowledge of safe routes and networks, which was very helpful to Brown.

Although Tubman was unwell when the raid began in October 1859, she still admired Brown's bravery. Even though the raid did not succeed, many saw Brown as a hero for standing up against slavery. Tubman praised his courage, saying he had done more with his actions than many others could in their entire lives.

Auburn and Margaret

In early 1859, Frances Adeline Seward, the wife of abolitionist Republican U.S. Senator William H. Seward, sold Harriet Tubman a small farm in Fleming, New York for $1,200. The nearby city of Auburn was known for its strong support against slavery, and Tubman brought her parents back from Canada to live there. Her farm became a safe place for her family and friends.

Shortly after getting the farm, Tubman returned to Maryland and brought back an eight-year-old girl named Margaret. Tubman said Margaret was her niece, but there is some uncertainty among historians about their exact relationship. In November 1860, Tubman made her last rescue mission. She had been unable to help her sister Rachel and her children, as Rachel had passed away. Tubman and another group, including the Ennalls family, traveled safely to Auburn, facing cold weather and slave patrols along the way.

American Civil War

When the Civil War began in 1861, Harriet Tubman believed it would help end slavery. Many enslaved people near Union forces escaped, and some were called "contraband" by General Benjamin Butler. Tubman helped these escapees, especially in Port Royal, South Carolina, where she met General David Hunter. He tried to free enslaved people, but President Abraham Lincoln stopped him.

Tubman served the Union Army in many ways. She worked as a nurse, helped plan secret missions, and guided soldiers through dangerous areas. One famous mission was the raid on Combahee Ferry in 1863. Tubman led soldiers along the Combahee River, helping free more than 750 people. Her bravery and cleverness earned her praise, and many of the newly freed people joined the Union Army. Tubman continued to help others until the war ended in 1865.

Later life

Harriet Tubman received little pay for her service in the Union Army during the Civil War. Because she was not a regular soldier, she was only occasionally compensated, and her work as a nurse was unpaid. Over three years, she earned just $200, which is about $4,210 today.

After the war, Tubman returned to her home in New York. She spent her later years in Auburn, managing her farm, taking in boarders, and supporting her family and others in need. She married Nelson Davis in 1869, and they adopted a daughter named Gertie in 1874.

Tubman also worked for women's voting rights, speaking at meetings and events. Despite her many contributions, she often faced financial difficulties. She created a home for older people, but it took many years to open. Tubman passed away in 1913, surrounded by friends and family.

Legacy

Main article: Legacy of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman became one of America's most famous historical figures after her death. She inspired many people, especially African Americans fighting for equality and civil rights. Leaders from all parts of politics praised her courage and work.

Tubman's life has inspired many artists, musicians, and writers. There are national parks and monuments in her honor, such as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. Schools, streets, and even a ship have been named after her. In 1978, she became the first African-American woman to appear on a U.S. postage stamp, and plans were made to put her portrait on the twenty-dollar bill. In 2024, she was honored as a one-star general in the Maryland Army National Guard for her service during the Civil War.

Historiography

Harriet Tubman wanted to learn to read and write her own story, but it never happened. Instead, she worked with Sarah Hopkins Bradford to create a book in 1868 called Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Though some modern experts think this book takes creative liberties, it shows Tubman's own perspective on her life. In 1886, Bradford published another version called Harriet, the Moses of her People, which told her story in a more formal way.

Later biographies include Earl Conrad’s Harriet Tubman from 1943, which aimed for a detailed, adult audience despite challenges in publication. Jean Humez wrote a detailed analysis of Tubman’s narratives in 2003, followed by biographies from Kate Clifford Larson and Catherine Clinton in 2004. In 2024, Edda L. Fields-Black’s Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War offered fresh insights into Tubman’s role in the Civil War and won the Pulitzer Prize for History.