Harriet Tubman

Moses

"When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven." - Harriet Tubman

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Who was Harriet Tubman?

Harriet Tubman, born Arminita Ross was an American abolitionist and political activist. As and adolescent she suffered a severe head injury when an overseer threw a two-pound metal weight at another slave who was attempting to flee. As stated in Wikipedia, the weight struck Tubman instead, leaving her with a broken skull. She was left without medical attention for two days, and was left with epileptic seizures, severe headaches, and narcoleptic episodes. After her injury she began experiencing visions and vivid dreams, which she interpreted as revelations from God.

In 1849, Tubman fell ill again which diminished her value as a slave. Edward Brodess tried to sell her; however, he wasn’t able to find a buyer. On September 17th, 1849, Tubman and her brothers, Ben, and Henry, escaped, however her brothers went back which forced her to return with them. Shortly afterward, she escaped again, this time without her brothers. While her exact route is unknown. Tubman made us of the network known as the Underground Railroad. She traveled at night, guided by the North Star, all while trying to avoid slave catchers that were eager to collect rewards for fugitive slaves. Tubman made multiple stops before crossing into Philadelphia.

In December, Tubman was warned that her niece, Kessiah and two children would be sold in Cambridge, so she returned to Baltimore, where her brother-in-law hid her until the sale. Kessiah’s husband, a free black man named John Bowley made the winning bid for his wife. When night fell, Bowley sailed the family on a log canoe to Baltimore, they met Tubman and she brought them to Philadelphia. The following year she returned to Maryland to help guide away other family members. During her second trip she recovered her brother Moses and two unidentified men. Because the Fugitive Slave Law made the Northern United Stated a more dangerous place for slaves, many escaped slaves began migrating to Southern Ontario. During a 10-year span – while suffering from seizures, severe headaches, and narcoleptic episodes – she made 19 trips into the South and escorted over 300 slaves to freedom.

On March 10th, 1913, Harriet Tubman passed away due to pneumonia.

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Books

*Kids*

• A picture book of Harriet Tubman | David A. Adler

• Who Was Harriet Tubman? | Yona Z. McDonough

• I Am Harriet Tubman | Brad Meltzer

• Before She Was Harriet | Lesa Cline – Ransome

• Moses: When Harriet Tuman Led Her People to Freedom | Carole Boston Weatherford

*Adults*

• Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom | Catherine Clinton

• American Legends: The Life of Harriet Tubman | Charles River Editors

• She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman | Erica Armstrong Dunbar

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Movie(s) | Film(s) | Documentaries'

• Harriet | 2019

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Source(s)

1. "Harriet Tubman." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 3 June 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman