Harriet Tubman - Freedom Fighter

  Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. 1822–March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist, freedom fighter, and conductor on the Underground Railroad, whose courage and resilience made her a towering figure in the fight against slavery. Below is a comprehensive overview of her life, achievements, and legacy.

Early Life

• Birth and Family: Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, around 1822, Tubman was one of nine children of Harriet Green and Benjamin Ross. Her exact birth date is unknown due to the lack of records for enslaved people.
• Enslavement and Hardships: As a child, Tubman endured brutal conditions, working as a field hand and house servant. She suffered severe physical abuse, including a traumatic head injury at age 12 or 13 when an overseer accidentally hit her with a heavy weight, causing lifelong seizures, narcolepsy, and vivid dreams she interpreted as divine visions.
• Early Resistance: Despite her enslavement, Tubman showed defiance early on, refusing to conform fully to the demands of her enslavers. Her strength and determination were shaped by her parents’ resistance and her mother’s stories of African heritage.

Escape to Freedom

• Fleeing Slavery: In 1849, facing the threat of being sold further south after her enslaver’s death, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a free state. She traveled roughly 90 miles alone, navigating by the North Star and relying on her wit and courage to evade capture.
• Personal Liberation: Upon reaching freedom, she reportedly said, “I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything.” Yet, she refused to rest, driven to free others.

The Underground Railroad

• Conductor Role: Tubman became one of the most famous “conductors” of the Underground Railroad, a network of safe houses and abolitionists aiding enslaved people to freedom. Between 1850 and 1860, she made approximately 13 trips back to Maryland, rescuing around 70 people, including family members, without ever losing a “passenger.”
• Tactics and Bravery: Known as “Moses” to those she led, Tubman used disguises, spirituals as coded messages (e.g., “Wade in the Water” to signal escape routes), and carried a pistol for protection and to deter escapees from turning back. She operated under constant threat of capture, especially after the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act, which endangered free Black people in the North.
• Network and Allies: She worked with abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd Garrison, and Quaker Thomas Garrett, using safe houses in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York to guide escapees to freedom, often as far as Canada.

Civil War Contributions

• Union Spy and Scout: During the Civil War (1861–1865), Tubman served the Union Army as a spy, scout, and nurse. She was the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the U.S. during the Combahee River Raid (1863), where she guided Union forces to free over 700 enslaved people in South Carolina.
• Nursing and Support: Tubman cared for wounded soldiers and newly freed people, using her knowledge of herbal medicine. Despite her critical contributions, she received little pay and faced racism from Union officials.

Later Life and Advocacy

• Post-War Activism: After the war, Tubman settled in Auburn, New York, on land she purchased. She continued advocating for Black rights, women’s suffrage, and the welfare of freedpeople. She worked alongside figures like Susan B. Anthony and spoke at suffrage events.
• Harriet Tubman Home: In her later years, she established a home for elderly and indigent African Americans in Auburn, donating land to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. The home opened in 1908.
• Personal Struggles: Tubman faced financial hardship throughout her life, often relying on donations and small income from selling her biography. The U.S. government denied her a military pension for years, though she eventually received a widow’s pension for her second husband, Nelson Davis, a Union soldier.

Personal Life

• Marriages: Tubman married John Tubman, a free Black man, around 1844, but he did not join her escape. After learning he remarried, she married Nelson Davis in 1869, adopting a daughter, Gertie, in 1874.
• Faith and Visions: A deeply spiritual woman, Tubman attributed her success to divine guidance, often experiencing visions she believed were messages from God. Her faith fueled her fearlessness.

Legacy and Recognition

• Death: Tubman died of pneumonia on March 10, 1913, in Auburn, surrounded by family and friends. Her last words were, “I go to prepare a place for you.”
• Cultural Impact: Tubman’s life inspired generations as a symbol of resistance, courage, and selflessness. She is celebrated in books, films (e.g., Harriet, 2019), and songs.
• Honors:
  • In 2016, the U.S. Treasury announced plans to feature Tubman on the $20 bill, though delays have pushed implementation past 2025.
  • She was posthumously awarded military honors, and numerous schools, museums, and parks bear her name, including the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park in Maryland.
  • In 2024, posts on X reflected ongoing admiration, with users highlighting her as a “badass” and “American hero,” though some debates questioned the extent of her contributions compared to other abolitionists.
• Historical Context: Tubman’s work disrupted the economic and social structure of slavery, costing enslavers significant losses (an estimated $100,000 in property value for those she freed). Her actions challenged systemic racism and inspired the broader abolitionist movement.

Key Characteristics

• Courage: Tubman risked her life repeatedly, facing bounty hunters and betrayal. She reportedly said, “I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”
• Strategic Mind: Her ability to plan escapes, use coded communication, and navigate hostile terrain showcased her tactical brilliance.
• Compassion: Despite personal hardship, she dedicated her life to others’ freedom and well-being, often at great personal cost.