Harriett Tubman (1821-1913)
Leader of the “Underground Railroad”
Born in 1821 in Dorchester County, Maryland, one of eleven children, Harriett Tubman escaped from slavery in 1849 and joined the abolitionist movement. She became a conductor of the “underground railroad,” and was frequently referred to as “Moses” of ancient times. The underground railroad was neither a railroad nor underground, but a system for helping slaves to escape. Strong, brave as a lion, cunning as a fox was Harriett Tubman, who made at least nineteen journeys into the deep South and led over three hundred slaves to freedom. Although she could not read or write, Harriett Tubman was one of the leading conductors of the underground railroad. During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman served both as a nurse and a spy for the Union Army. When she died on March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York, Harriett Tubman was buried with full military honors.
