Harriet Tubman Biography

Harriet Tubman Biography

Learn about the biography of Harriet Tubman, leader in the Underground Railroad who led many of the enslaved to freedom

Biography of Harriet Tubman

Before the American Civil War, Harriet Tubman, née Araminta Ross, an American bondwoman who escaped from slavery in the South, rose to prominence as an abolitionist. She was born around 1820 in Dorchester County, Maryland, and died on March 10, 1913, in Auburn, New York. She helped dozens of enslaved persons travel the Underground Railroad, a complex network of safe homes set up specifically for that reason, to freedom in the North.

Harriet Tubman Biography

Where did Harriet Tubman grow up?

Harriet Tubman was born a slave on a Maryland farm. Her birth is believed to have occurred in 1820 or 1821, but most enslavers didn’t save birth documents. Araminta Ross was her birth name, but when she was thirteen, she adopted her mother’s name, Harriet.

Life as a Slave

Living as a slave was challenging. At first, Harriet and her family of eleven children resided in a one-room cabin. She was given on loan to another family when she was just six years old, where she assisted in caring for a newborn. She occasionally received beatings and was only given table scraps to eat.

Harriet later performed a variety of tasks on the plantation, including preparing areas for planting and loading food into carts. She built up her strength through working with her hands, which included pulling oxen and moving logs.

Harriet suffered a terrible brain injury when she was thirteen years old. She was a visitor to the town at the time. Harriet was struck by an iron weight that an enslaver intended to throw at one of his slaves. She suffered from dizziness and blackouts for the rest of her life as a result of the wound, which also almost killed her.

The Underground Railroad

During this time, slavery was prohibited in some states in the north of the United States. Via the Underground Railroad, slaves in the South would attempt to flee to the North. There was no actual railroad here. The slaves were hidden in a variety of safe houses (referred to as stations) as they moved north. The people who assisted slaves on their journey were referred to as conductors. To get to the north and freedom, the slaves would travel between stations at night, hiding in the woods or sneaking onboard trains.

Harriet Escapes

Harriet made the decision to flee in 1849. The Underground Railroad would be used by her. She arrived in Pennsylvania after a long and terrifying journey and was at last set free.

Leading Others to Freedom

The Fugitive Slave Act was passed in 1850. This allowed for the removal of former slaves from free states and their eventual return to their owners. Once enslaved people now had to flee to Canada in order to gain freedom. Harriet desired to aid others in finding safety in Canada, especially her family. She became a conductor on the Underground Railroad.

As an operator on the Underground Railroad, Harriet rose to fame. She oversaw 19 distinct southern escapes and assisted about 300 slaves in fleeing. She earned the nickname “Moses” because, like the biblical Moses, she brought her people freedom.

Very courageous was Harriet. She put her freedom and life in danger to aid others. Harriet also assisted in the escape of her family members, including her mother and father. She was never apprehended and never misplaced a slave.

The American Civil War

In addition to her work on the Underground Railroad, Harriet also aided in the Civil War. She assisted in the care of wounded soldiers, worked as a spy for the north, and even participated in a military operation that resulted in the liberation of over 750 slaves.

Later in Life

Harriet and her family settled in New York following the Civil War. She assisted the ill and the destitute. She also advocated for women’s and blacks’ equal rights.

Facts about Harriet Tubman

• Her childhood monicker was “Minty.”
• She learned about the Bible from her mother, who raised her to be a highly pious person.
• After assisting her parents in fleeing the South, Harriet purchased a home for them in Auburn, New York.
• In 1844, Harriet wed John Tubman. A liberated black guy, he was. In 1869, she wed Nelson Davis again.
• She typically participated in the Underground Railroad during the winter, when the days were shorter and many people stayed inside.
• According to a legend, slaveowners offered a $40,000 bounty for Harriet Tubman’s capture. Very likely, this is merely a myth and not real.
• Harriet was a devout Christian. She would exclaim as she guided fugitives across the border “Praise also to God and to Jesus. More lives are now secure!”

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