Harriet Tubman-1820-1913

Harriet Tubman was born as an enslaved person on a plantation in Maryland. Her original name was Araminta Ross, and was called Minty. She renamed herself Harriet in later years, and used the name Tubman which was her husband's last name.

As a child, Minty showed defiance for which she was severely abused. At one time she was hit on the head by a iron weight meant for another enslaved person. She suffered injuries which lasted her entire life.

In 1849, Harriet escaped to the north. She returned south over 70 times to lead other enslaved people to freedom on what was called "The Underground Railroad." The "railroad" was not a train but a series of "safe houses." She said, later in her life, that she "never lost a passenger." A very high bounty was put on her but she was never captured.

In 1850, after the Fugitive Slave Law was passed, she guided many people who had escaped from slavery to the northern states, to safety in Canada.

Harriet Tubman was a cook, nurse, scout and spy for the union army during the Civil war. She helped recruit men for John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in 1860 which began the Civil War. During the war, she led a raid which freed over 700 enslaved people.

Following the Civil War, she devoted herself to humanitarian causes, especially women's rights.

Harriet Tubman died in 1913 at the age of 93.