Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. After escaping slavery, Tubman helped many people gain freedom. She made around 13 trips to rescue about 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends. She used a secret network of safe places called the Underground Railroad.

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

When the American Civil War began, Tubman helped the Union Army in many ways. She worked as a cook, nurse, and later led important 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. 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 when slavery was still allowed. Her parents, Harriet ("Rit") Green and Ben Ross, were enslaved people. Rit belonged to a woman named Mary Pattison Brodess, and Ben worked on a large plantation near the Blackwater River in Dorchester County, Maryland. We do not know exactly when she was born, but historians think it was around March 1822.

Tubman's family had a very hard life because of slavery. Her mother worked very hard to keep her children safe and together. She even hid her youngest son, Moses, when someone wanted to buy him. This brave spirit later helped Tubman fight against slavery.

Childhood

Harriet Tubman's mother had little time for her family, so young Harriet often looked after her younger brothers and sisters. As a child, she was sent to care for a baby and was treated very harshly there. Even so, she found small ways to stand up for herself.

Later, Tubman became ill but got better with help from her mother. As she grew, she took on tougher jobs like working in fields and moving heavy logs. When she was a teenager, she was hurt badly when a heavy metal weight hit her head. This caused her terrible headaches and seizures for the rest of her life. After this, she began to have strong dreams and visions that she felt were messages from God, which shaped her deep faith and strength.

Family and first husband

After her father was promised freedom and later freed, Harriet Tubman kept working for the Thompson family. She later found out that her mother should have been freed at age 45, but the law was ignored.

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. Harriet changed her name from Araminta to Harriet after she got married.

Escape from slavery

In 1849, Harriet Tubman chose to leave slavery after her master tried to sell her. She had been very ill and was angry about being treated unfairly. With her brothers Ben and Henry, she left on September 17, 1849, but they went back. Harriet continued alone.

Harriet used a secret path called the Underground Railroad to find freedom. Many people helped, including free and enslaved black people, white abolitionists, and others. She traveled at night, using the North Star to guide her, and hid during the day. After a long and hard trip, she reached Pennsylvania and felt very happy to be free.

Nicknamed "Moses"

After escaping slavery, Harriet Tubman wanted her family to be free too. The government made new laws that made it harder for escaped slaves to stay safe, so Tubman acted quickly.

Tubman made many trips back to Maryland to help her family and others escape. She helped about 70 enslaved people reach 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 stay hidden.

Tubman trusted her faith and used songs to send secret messages. Despite many dangers, Tubman was never captured, and she always made sure everyone she helped reached freedom.

John Brown and Harpers Ferry

Main article: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

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

Tubman was unwell when the raid began in October 1859, but 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.

Auburn and Margaret

In 1859, Frances Adeline Seward, the wife of William H. Seward, sold a small farm in Fleming, New York to Harriet Tubman for $1,200. The city of Auburn nearby was a place where many people did not agree with slavery. Tubman brought her parents from Canada to live there. Her farm became a safe place for her family and friends.

After getting the farm, Tubman went back to Maryland to bring back a young girl named Margaret, who was eight years old. Tubman said Margaret was her niece, but we are not sure of their exact relationship. In 1860, Tubman made her last trip to rescue people. She could not help her sister Rachel and her children because Rachel had passed away. Tubman and a group of people, including the Ennalls family, traveled safely to Auburn, even though the weather was cold and they had to be careful of people who caught runaway slaves.

American Civil War

When the Civil War began in 1861, Harriet Tubman thought it would help end slavery. Many enslaved people near Union forces ran away, and some were called "contraband" by General Benjamin Butler. Tubman helped these people, especially in Port Royal, South Carolina. There she met General David Hunter. He wanted to free enslaved people, but President Abraham Lincoln would not let him.

Tubman helped the Union Army in many ways. She worked as a nurse, helped plan secret missions, and showed soldiers safe paths. One famous mission was the raid on Combahee Ferry in 1863. Tubman led soldiers along the Combahee River, helping to free many people. Her bravery won praise, and many of the newly freed people joined the Union Army. Tubman kept helping others until the war ended in 1865.

Later life

Harriet Tubman did not earn much money for her service in the Union Army during the Civil War. She was not a regular soldier, so she was only paid sometimes. Her work as a nurse was not paid. Over three years, she earned just $200, which is about $4,210 today.

After the war, Tubman went back to her home in New York. She lived her later years in Auburn, working on her farm, hosting people in her home, and helping 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. Even with her many contributions, she often had money problems. 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 is one of America's most famous historical figures. After she died, she inspired many people, especially African Americans who worked for equality and civil rights. Leaders from all parts of politics praised her courage.

Her life inspired many artists, musicians, and writers. There are national parks and monuments to honor her, 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.

Historiography

Harriet Tubman wanted to write her own story, but it never happened. Instead, she worked with Sarah Hopkins Bradford to make a book in 1868 called Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Some experts think this book is not completely true, but it shows Tubman's own view of her life. In 1886, Bradford made another book called Harriet, the Moses of her People.

Later books about Tubman include Earl Conrad’s Harriet Tubman from 1943. Jean Humez wrote about Tubman’s stories in 2003. Biographies by Kate Clifford Larson and Catherine Clinton followed in 2004. In 2024, Edda L. Fields-Black’s Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War gave new ideas about Tubman’s work in the Civil War. It won the Pulitzer Prize for History.