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African American Women

Black women both in history and in the contemporary world have done numerous

exploits going against all odds to succeed in life and to serve humanity around the globe. The

role of black women has been obscured historically until recently. Under the newly established

black women’s symposiums exhibitions and numerous publications, the achievements of black

women have been illuminated (Berry et al. 1). Notable black women include Sojourner Truth,

who was a woman’s activist, Rosa Parks, also an activist best known for her instrumental role

during the Montgomery bus boycott. Recent Black women figures include Ellen Johnson Sirleaf,

the former Liberian president and who was the first in African history to hold such a position.

The focus of this paper is to explore the life and exploits of Harriet Tubman, the bold lady who

became a force to reckon with during the last decades of the American slavery period and during

the civil war.

Early years

Harriet Tubman was born in Bucktown, Maryland; her exact birthdate is unknown, but

historians estimate that she might have been born around 1820. Her grandparents had been

captured from West Africa, while her parents, like her, had been born into slavery (Walters 1).

Her birth name was Araminta Harriet Ross. At the age of five years, she was given the
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responsibility of babysitting her owner’s children. By age 6, she was weaving, and it was also at

this time that she began to be rebellious (Walters 1). She became notorious for not following

orders, and for this, she was given to several other families. 

Around the age of 13, Harriet followed a male slave who was going to the village store

but hadn’t gotten permission. Their owner’s overseer caught up with them and decided to punish

the man (Walters 2). As the overseer was preparing to whip the man, Harriet stepped between the

two, and the heavyweight landed on her head, crushing her (Walters 3). This plagued the rest of

her life as she went on to experience constant blackouts. She would fall asleep from time to time,

and she would not remember how it happened after waking up (McDonough 2). Other times she

was plagued by dreams, both good and bad.

Escape to Freedom

After recovering from the ordeal, she began working in the fields. She had strong stamina

and was capable of handling any task given to him. She had also learned a lot from her father,

especially about the woods. Like her family members and fellow slaves, she would work from

sunrise to sunset (Walters 1). A turnaround came about in her twenties after meeting John

Tubman, who was at this time was at this time a free man. The two married, but a problem

followed with the possibility that she would be sold away by her owner Mr. Brodess (Humez, 4).

Harriet desired her freedom and feared being sold farther into the SouthSouth. She decided to go

north, where she had the chance of becoming a free person. Harriet’s husband thought it would

be dangerous, while her two brothers backed out after learning that there was a reward for their

capture; the two returned to the plantation fearing for their lives (Humez 4; Walters 6).

Nonetheless, Harriet Tubman decided to make the journey all by herself.

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Harriet got to one of the station houses along the Underground Railroad, where she was

welcomed warmly. Later she was put into a wagon covered with a burlap bag and vegetables,

and this was to aid her in part of the journey to other stations (McDonough 6). She had to cover

some distances from one station to another on foot, traveling at night all by herself. For direction

purposes, she would locate moss and the North Star to help her move northwards. During the

day, she at times got the assistance to hide (Walters 7). Harriet first got to Delaware before

reaching Pennsylvania, where she gained her freedom. All along, she had retained her birth name

Araminta, and she changed it to Harriet Tubman after she became free. She then headed to

Philadelphia, where she found work, cooking and washing dishes (Humez 7).

Contributions in the Underground Railway

It was in Philadelphia that Harriet met abolitionists, and she discovered her call desiring

to free her brothers and sisters from slavery. She became a conductor for the Underground

Railroad, which was a network of people, both African Americans and whites, who offered

shelter and the necessary aid to help enslaved people escape from the SouthSouth. Harriet is

recorded to have made about 19 trips going to the SouthSouth and back; this was between 1850

and 1860 (Walters 7). During this time, she guided about 300 individuals to freedom, and as a

result, she was nicknamed “Moses.” Harriet was very skilled in conducting the Underground

Railroad missions to save the enslaved people (Walters 7). Through intelligence and courage

continued with her work eluding bounty hunters. It is remarkable that she was never captured

and that slaves who escaped through her reached the freedom land. Among the people she saved

from bondage was his parents and siblings. Her first mission occurred in 1850, where she

arranged the entire family of her niece Kessiah who had been on the verge of being sold together

with her children (Walters 8). In her career as the Underground Railroad, Harriet held on to
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things, her pistol, and her faith. She was always ready to use her weapon if the need arose. The

pistol was both for her self-defense and instructing slaves on the transit to freedom.

The dynamics of the Underground railway changed in 1850; this was after the Fugitive

slave Law surfaced. As per the new law, escaping slaves were to be captured and sent back to

their masters in the South (McDonough 8). This created problems not only for the escaping

slaves but also for the free black people living in the north, as they could be captured and sold

into slavery. Law enforcement forces for the states in the north were required seek out and

capture fugitives slaves, some of the officials having to go against their personal principles

(Walters 8). Harriet and her fellow Railroad Conductors had to think fast, and they decided to

extend the Underground Railroad towards Canada. In December 1851, Harriet was reported to

have guided eleven fugitives northwards to Canada, stopping at the home of Frederick Douglass,

the renowned black abolitionist (Humez 7).

Harriet met the radical abolitionist John Brown in 1858. Brown was a white man and

advocated for violence as a way to disrupt and do away with the institution of slavery. The two

had met in Canada, where Harriet narrated about her exploits in conducting the Underground

Railroad. Harriet had been thrilled by Brown’s goals and even tolerated his course of action to

some extent (Walters 9). Harriet even claimed that she had a prophetic vision concerning Brown

previously before they became acquainted. Harriet assisted Brown in recruiting supporters under

the plan to attack Harper’s Ferry, a U.S military arsenal, in an effort to create a stronghold for

freed slaves (Humez 11). The attempt, however, failed, and Brown was subsequently captured

and executed. Harriet praised Brown and described him as a martyr. 

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Harriet’s Civil War Years

The civil war was a defining moment and held the fate for slavery in the United States.

Harriet was actively involved in the war right from the moment that it began. She worked for the

Union Army taking on various tasks; first, she cooked for the army and at the same time she

worked as a nurse helping the injured solider. Later Tubman worked as an armed scout and as a

spy for the Union Army (Walters 10). Her career as a nurse during the civil war saw her tending

to soldiers both white and black in Florida and Carolinas. She served as a spy under Col. James

Montgomery, who was in charge of Carolina volunteers. Harriet led the corps of local blacks

(Walters 11). During a mission in 1863, she guided the army through during the Combahee River

Raid, where the expedition freed about 700 slaves; this mission took place in South Carolina.

She infiltrated into the enemy territories, gathering information that proved useful for his

superiors. Such information entailed the location of ammunition depots and slaves (Walters 12).

For all her efforts in the war, Tubman received a payment of 200 dollars for the three-year period

that she served.

Later Life

Harriet bought a small piece of land in Auburn, New York, from Senator William H.

Seward, who was an abolitionist. He shared the place with family and friends. Despite his fame

and her positive reputation, Harriet had financial problems and turned to sell pies, gingerbread to

support herself and those who needed her help (Humez 12). Friends and supporters also raise

money for her. A notable admirer is Sarah Bradford, who wrote Tubman’s biography entitled

"Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman." The proceeds of the book were designated to benefit

Harriet and her family. Giving speeches also earned her some money (Walters 12). One of the

most notable appearances she made was at the meeting organized by the National Organization
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of Coloured Women that was scheduled in Washington D.C. The meeting had been organized to

celebrate the strength of women. It was also a wake-up call for the women to continue fighting

dignity and respect. Harriet Tubman was the oldest member present (Walters 13). Despite

Harriet's financial instability, she was a generous giver. She was directly involved in helping the

black people to maneuver with their newly found freedom. Tubman cared for all those who

needed her help, and her place had turned to be a place of refuge (Walters 13). She donated a

piece of her land to a church in Auburn. It was here a facility for taking care of the aged was

opened and was named after Harriet Tubman.

The head blow she had received as a slave continued to trouble her, and in her later life,

she used to experience painful and disruptive episodes (Walters 14). She was operated on at

Massachusetts General Hospital in an effort to alleviate the constant buzzing and pain. Harriet

contracted pneumonia which ultimately took her life on March 1913, aged 93 years (Walters 15;

Humez 17). She was in the comfort of family and friends. Harriet was buried with military

honors at her final resting place; Fort Hill Cemetery within Auburn.

Legacy

Harriet Tubman was a respected lady from her time in the Underground Railroad to the

time of her death. She also became an American Icon after her death. A survey conducted in the

second part of the 20th century established Harriet among the most famous civilians of the

period preceding the civil war (Biography.com Editors 1). She became third, the first and second

position going to Betsy Ross and Paul Revere, respectively. Even today, Harriet continues to be

an inspiration to the struggle for civil rights. She has also been celebrated in many ways since her

death. The city of Auburn installed a plaque on the courthouse in commemoration of her life.

Again, there are dozens of schools as well as some institutions that are named in her honor. A
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notable institution named after her is the “Harriet Tubman Home for the aged”, located in

Auburn. There is also the “Harriet Tubman Museum in Cambridge” named in the icon's honor. 

Tubman's portrait was proposed to be on the $20 bill in 2016. The United States Treasury

announced Department offered that Tubman was set to replace Jackson the former president Of

U.S. whose portrait has been on the bill for quite some time (Walters 16). The announcement

came after the public argued that it was time for a renowned American woman's portrait to be

printed on U.S currency. The move was praised, and there was a widespread view that Tubman

deserved the honor as she had fought for racial equality with passion and dedication (Walters

16). Tubman's portrait was set to be engraved in the new $ 20 bill in 2020. This would have

conceded with the hundredth anniversary of the 19th amendment that paved way for women to

vote. This, however, did not happen, and the Treasury Department announced that there was no

new currency design that would be unveiled until 2026, citing counterfeiting issues

(Biography.com Editors 1). In January 2021, President Biden offered to look into the issue

seeking to speed up the unveiling of the new $ 20 with Tubman's portrait.

Apart from the many publications and honorary gestures that have been done in

commemoration of Harriet Tubman, there have also been two movies about her. The recent one

entitled Harriet premiered in 2019 with Cynthia Erivo as Tubman. The movie is a chronicle of

Harriet Tubman's life, beginning with the time that she first got married and her services in the

Underground Railroad, freeing enslaved people (Biography.com Editors 1). For her role in the

movie, Erivo became a nominee for an Oscar and the Golden Globe.

Conclusion 
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Courage, determination, and dedication are characteristics that define Harriet Tubman.

She knew what was right for and she never hesitated to go for it. She risked her life seeking

freedom not only for herself but also for other enslaved people. Her actions and exploits during

her years as a guide for fugitives through the Underground Railroad depict her intelligence. The

same can be said concerning her services in the Union Army throughout the civil war. She was

not only capable but was also selfless to fight for what she believed to be right. Harriet is surely

among the greatest Black women of all time. She deserves the various commemorations and

honorary gestures that have been directed to her. 

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References

Berry, Daina Ramey, and Kali Nicole Gross. A Black Women's History of the United States. Vol.

5. ReVisioning American History, 2020.

Biography .com Editors. Harriet Tubman Biography. A & e Television Networks. August 11,

2021. https://www.biography.com/activist/harriet-tubman#synopsis

Humez, Jean M. Harriet Tubman: The life and the life stories. Univ of Wisconsin Press, 2006.

McDonough, Yona Zeldis, and H. Q. Who. Who was Harriet Tubman?. Penguin, 2002.

Walters, Kerry. Harriet Tubman: A Life in American History. ABC-CLIO, 2019.