Harriet+Tubman

Harriet Tubman was born in 1822 on the slave plantation of Anthony Thompson in Dorchester County, Maryland. After escaping from slavery in 1849, this abolistionist became deidicated to working on [|the Undergound Railroad], asisiting other slaves in escaping from enslavement. Fighting for freedom and equality, Tubman earned the name "Moses", with a biblical reference to one who led his people out of adversity and to freedom.

Tubman was born Araminta ("Minty") Ross and was the fifth of nine children of slaves Harriet ("Rit") Green and Benjamin Ross Tubman. At a very young age, she had to take care of her younger siblings while her mother was requireded to work in the "big house". Minty had a rough childhood; she had to take care being whipped and brutally punished at her master's command. She once told of incidences where she hid in a pig sty for almost a week, in fear of being beaten for stealing a sugar lump. Her family, like most in these days, was intentionally seperated; Edward Brodess, Anthony Thompson's son who claimed custody over her parents, sold some of Tubman's family memeber illegally to buyers in othe rstates and often hired Tubman out to temporary masters, some who were very cruel and negligent. As an adolesent, working as a field hand, Tubman almost died from a blow to the head from an iron weight which was thrown by an angry overseer aiming for a slave who was attemping to escape. Her injury resulted in life long issues with severe headaches, seizures and random sleeping spells.

In 1844, Arminta Ross married a free African American, John Tubman, and soon changed her name to Harriet Tubman. Five years later, Tubman escaped from slavery, following the North Star, fleeing to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Soon after her escape, Tubman returned to the land where she was enslaved to rescue her family so they could be free with her. Around the same time, the goverment passed the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 which forced law enforcement officials to help with the capture of fugitive slaves and set up large punishments on those who attempted or helped others escape. This made the risk of travelling and helping to free slaves extremly larger for Tubman. For the next 10 years, Tubman returned to Maryland helping over 300 slaves to escape to freedom. Her doing earned her the nick name "Moses of her people", refering to her perservance and ability to lead. Tubman's dangerous missions won her admiration for black, as well as white abolistionists. In 1858, Tubman met with freedom fighter, John Brown. Inspired by his commitment to end slavery, she committed herself to recruiting former slaves to help him in his [|raid of Harper's Ferry]. Tubamn also worked along side of abolistionist, Frederick Douglass in her fight to end slavery. In a letter to Tubman, Douglass stated, "I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than you have," showing his true admiration for his fellow abolitioist.

During the Civil War, Tubman was acted as a nurse, providing needed medical assistance to injured soldiers. She also acted as a spy, spying on the Confederate enemy. In 1863, she became the first woman to command an armed military raid when she navigated the 2nd South Carolina black regiment up the Combahee River, freeing over 700 slaves during this task. Tubman was also active during the Womna's Sufferage Movement, working along side Susan B. Anthony. Active in the suffrage movement since 1860, Tubman continued to appear at local and national suffrage conventions until the early 1900s. In 1869, Sarah Bradford published a short biography of Tubman called [|"Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman"]. Tubman's humanitarian work flourished when she opened the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, which was transferred to the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in 1903. At the age of 91, Tubman died on March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York, leaving a legacy of inspiration for abolistionist, suffragist and humanitarians.

References:

  Larson, Kate Clifford. __Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero.__ New York: Ballantine Books, December 2003    Larson, Kate. __Harriet Tubman Biography: Bound For The Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero__. 2003. 18 Feb. 2009 .    "Afraicans in Ameica: Harriet Tubman." __PBS__. 1999. PBS. 18 Feb. 2009   http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html .