Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad

Introduction

Harriet Tubman stands as one of the most courageous figures in American history, whose daring rescues through the Underground Railroad earned her the nickname 'Moses' for leading her people out of bondage. Born into slavery, she not only escaped to freedom but repeatedly returned to the South to guide others to liberty, never losing a single person on her dangerous missions.

Tubman's extraordinary life encompassed roles as an abolitionist, spy, nurse, and women's rights activist. Her unwavering faith, strategic intelligence, and fearless determination made her a legendary figure whose legacy continues to inspire those fighting for freedom and justice around the world.

Early Life in Slavery

Araminta Ross, later known as Harriet Tubman, was born around 1822 on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, to enslaved parents Harriet 'Rit' Green and Ben Ross. As one of nine children, she experienced the harsh realities of slavery from an early age, witnessing family separations and enduring brutal treatment that was typical of the institution.

From childhood, Araminta was subjected to violence and abuse. At age five or six, she was hired out to work for other families, where she suffered beatings and neglect. One particularly severe head injury occurred when she was about 13 years old - an overseer threw a heavy metal weight at another slave but hit Araminta instead, fracturing her skull and causing lifelong effects including seizures and visions that she attributed to divine guidance.

Despite the trauma, Araminta developed remarkable physical strength and endurance working in the fields alongside men. She also learned valuable skills about navigation, survival in the wilderness, and reading people's character - abilities that would prove crucial in her later work with the Underground Railroad.

Around 1844, she married John Tubman, a free Black man, and took the name Harriet in honor of her mother. However, her status remained that of an enslaved person, and she lived with the constant fear of being sold and separated from her family. This fear intensified when her master died in 1849, making it likely that she and other slaves would be sold to settle debts.

Escape to Freedom

In 1849, facing the threat of being sold South and permanently separated from her family, Harriet Tubman made the courageous decision to escape. Using the Underground Railroad network of safe houses and sympathetic individuals, she traveled nearly 90 miles to Philadelphia, following the North Star and relying on the kindness of strangers who risked their own safety to help her.

Upon reaching freedom, Tubman later recalled feeling like she was in heaven, but her joy was tempered by the loneliness of being separated from her family. She famously said, 'I was free, but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land.' This isolation strengthened her resolve to return for others.

Tubman found work in Philadelphia and began saving money while learning about the broader abolitionist movement. She connected with William Still, a free Black man who coordinated Underground Railroad activities in Philadelphia, and other abolitionists who would become her allies in the dangerous work of conducting slaves to freedom.

Her first rescue mission came in December 1850 when she returned to Maryland to bring her niece and niece's children to freedom. This successful mission marked the beginning of her career as the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad, a role she would fulfill for the next decade.

The Underground Railroad Conductor

Between 1850 and 1860, Harriet Tubman made approximately 19 trips to the South, personally leading about 70 enslaved people to freedom, including her parents and several siblings. She became known as 'Moses' among enslaved people for her role in leading them out of bondage, and slaveholders placed bounties totaling $40,000 on her head - a fortune at the time.

Tubman's success was due to meticulous planning, incredible courage, and what she believed was divine guidance. She typically conducted her missions during winter months when longer nights provided more cover, and she used a variety of disguises and clever tactics to avoid detection. She carried a gun both for protection and to prevent scared passengers from turning back and endangering the group.

Her reputation for never losing a passenger became legendary and was crucial to her success - enslaved people trusted her because they knew she had never failed. She often used spirituals and coded songs to communicate with those she was helping, and her knowledge of the natural world helped her navigate dangerous terrain and avoid capture.

Tubman's network extended beyond the Underground Railroad to include prominent abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, who wrote of her: 'Most that I have done and suffered in the service of our cause has been in public... You, on the other hand, have labored in a private way... The midnight sky and the silent stars have been the witnesses of your devotion to freedom and of your heroism.'

Civil War Service and Later Life

During the Civil War, Tubman served the Union Army as a scout, spy, and nurse. Her knowledge of the Southern landscape and her network of contacts made her invaluable for gathering intelligence behind enemy lines. In 1863, she became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war when she guided Union troops in the Combahee River Raid in South Carolina, which freed more than 700 enslaved people.

After the war, Tubman settled in Auburn, New York, on land she had purchased from abolitionist William H. Seward. She cared for her aging parents and other family members while continuing her activism for civil rights and women's suffrage. She worked with Susan B. Anthony and other suffragists, recognizing the connection between the struggles for racial and gender equality.

Despite her service to the country, Tubman struggled financially for much of her later life. It took decades of advocacy before she received a small pension from the government, first as the widow of her second husband Nelson Davis (a Civil War veteran) and later in recognition of her own service. The delay highlighted the intersecting discrimination she faced as a Black woman.

In 1896, Tubman purchased land adjacent to her home to establish a home for elderly African Americans, reflecting her lifelong commitment to caring for her community. She continued this work until her own health declined, and she moved into the home herself in 1911. Harriet Tubman died on March 10, 1913, surrounded by family and friends, leaving behind a legacy of courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication to freedom and justice.