Part of a Series: Underground Railroad & Abolition Movement
SECTION 3.0 Abolitionists
3.1 Parts 1 & 2
Harriet Tubman, Former American Slave, Abolitionist and Political Activist
Recorded as the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war by guiding the raid at Combahee River (see Part 2).
PART 1
Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Rose in March 1822 (deceased 10th March 1913). Born into slavery in Dorchester County Maryland. Harriet was beaten and whipped by her various slave masters as a child. An injury during her life was slavery proved to be a turning point in Harriet’s life; She had a head wound when an enraged salve owner threw a heavy metal weight intended for another slave, but hit her instead. This head wound caused pain, dizziness and spells of hyper-somnia throughout her life. After this injury, Harriet began to experience vivid dreams and visions which she ascribed to God. Harriet who had a Methodist upbringing, became devoutly religious as a result of these experiences.
She became an American abolitionist and political activist.In 1849, Harriet escaped from slavery to Philadelphia but returned soon after to Maryland to rescue her relatives a number of times, taking them in small groups at a time. On her third trip, Harriett attempted to rescue her husband, but he had remarried and refused to leave. This upset her, but what she reported to be a vision from God, Harriet joined the Underground Railroad and began guiding other escaped slaves to Maryland. She regularly took groups of slaves to Canada, distrusting the United States to treat them well
Harriet is recorded to have made in total 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 slaves who included her family and friends. Her rescues were through the network of antislavery activists and safe houses called the Underground Railroad.
Harriett was nicknamed Moses and it is said that she traveled by night and in extreme secrecy never losing a passenger. Following the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, Harriet aided fugitives to travel further north into British North America (Canada) and helped newly freed slaves find work. In 1858, Harriett met John Brown and helped him raid Harpers Ferry in 1859.
At the beginning of the American Civil War, Harriet worked for the Union Army. She was initially a cook and nurse and later became an armed scout and spy. Harriett served as a guide in the raid at Combahee Ferry (1-2 June 1863) and because of this Harriett is known as the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war.During this raid, more than 700 slaves were freed.
Harriet was an activist in the struggle for women’s suffrage (the legal right for women to vote) later on in her life until she became ill and was admitted to a home for elderly African Americans that she partook in establishing some years earlier. After her death in 1913, she has been remembered as an icon of courage and freedom.
Source:
https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/underground-railroad
Check out the following posts:
1.0 Summary: American Civil War & Emancipation Proclamation background to the Abolitionist Movement, USA
2.0 Underground Railroad
Next post in the series Part 2: Harriet Tubman
