Harriet Tubman: Life and Legacy

Early Life

• Born as Araminta "Minty" Ross into slavery.
• Parents were enslaved, and she was supposed to be freed according to the will of her enslaver but was not.
• Experienced separation from her family due to slavery.
• Worked as a domestic and field slave.
• Suffered from measles and a severe head injury causing lifelong seizures and possible epilepsy.

Marriage and Freedom

• Married John Tubman, a free black man, and took the name Harriet Tubman.
• Her enslaver died in 1849, leading to her escape.
• Escaped alone using the Underground Railroad and settled in Philadelphia.

Fugitive Slave Act and Rescue Missions

• Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 put her at risk even in the North.
• Returned multiple times to rescue family and others, freeing nearly 30 people by 1854.
• Operated in dangerous conditions and used opium on infants to keep them quiet during escapes.

Role in Abolitionist Movement

• Became known as "Moses" for leading enslaved people to freedom.
• Worked with abolitionist John Brown, supporting his radical plans.

Civil War Efforts

• Served as a spy for the US Army in South Carolina.
• Led the Combahee River Raid in 1863, freeing 750 enslaved people.
• Worked as a nurse and advocated for better care for black soldiers.

Post-War Life

• Faced racial discrimination even after the Civil War.
• Denied a military pension until late in life.
• Advocated for women's suffrage and spoke at the National Association of Colored Women.
• Donated her home to be an old age home.

Legacy

• Harriet Tubman is a key figure in abolition, Civil War efforts, and early civil rights.
• Her life exemplifies the struggle for freedom and equality in the 19th and early 20th centuries.