Introduction
There have been many people that made a difference in our lives and others. Harriet Tubman stood out to me the most. She was a strong woman, despite of the fact that she faced a two fold hurdle against her which was being Black, and being a woman during that time period. She fought every person and every situation that came in her way. She proved to others that if your determined enough, you will make it. She put her life on the line for so many other people, without even thinking twice. Her courage exceeds the power she had to do what was in her. She didn’t let that come in her way whether she had the power or not to do what she did, she still had courage to do everything she had done for everyone and helped them. Without her doing what she did, we wouldn’t be here today. When I say we I am not excluding anyone but I mean America as a whole. She has made a difference in peoples lives to a point where they could live, and didn’t have to worry about dieing from starvation or torture. I chose her because I hope I could have such a big heart as her one day, and follow in her footsteps. I know I could never reach her level of power or success, but I can follow in her foot steps and help the future people. Also she inspires me to be a better person in life, and giving without expecting anything in return, also because you truly want to.
Essay
Harriet Tubman, what do we know about her? I have heard people say, “Isn’t she the underground railroad woman?” or “Didn’t she free some slaves?” She isn’t given as much credit as she deserves. Today’s youth barely know the difference she has made, and the impact she had on the freedom of slaves or on society during that time period. Especially on women, and African-Americans. She truly brings to life the quote, “Live free or die”. She put her life on line for so many others, and didn’t allow anyone or anything to stop her.
Harriet Tubman, what do we know about her? I have heard people say, “Isn’t she the underground railroad woman?” or “Didn’t she free some slaves?” She isn’t given as much credit as she deserves. Today’s youth barely know the difference she has made, and the impact she had on the freedom of slaves or on society during that time period. Especially on women, and African-Americans. She truly brings to life the quote, “Live free or die”. She put her life on line for so many others, and didn’t allow anyone or anything to stop her.
Harriet Tubman is still known for her bravery, and big heart till this date. She was born sometime around February or March of 1823, even after a lot of research people weren’t able to find an accurate date, and this was the closest they were to the actual date. She was raised in Dorchester county, Maryland. She had a childhood, full of bitter memories. She knew that she had to make a difference somehow, and help these people who are capable of so much more, but aren’t given the chance to prove themselves. Harriet Tubman was born as Araminta Ross. As a child she was treated terribly by slave owners, and so was her family. She ate cornmeal for most of her meals, and slept by the fire sticking her feet in the ashes of the burnt wood to keep herself from getting frostbite. By the age of 6 she was considered old enough to work, and she worked for a couple who beat her, which was something she expected on a regular basis. By the age of 11 she was no longer considered a child, and worked in the plantation where she became Harriet after her moms name, as Araminta was her “basket name” She couldn’t take that anymore, and unlike others instead of being scared she stood up to them. At the age of 25 she married John Tubman who was a free African American, and didn’t share the same thoughts as Harriet, and didn’t feel the way she felt about freeing slaves. She was also afraid of being sold because of the slave trade, and then her marriage would be split. She wanted to move north where she could be free, and wouldn’t have to worry about being sold or being separated from her husband. Her husband wasn’t supportive about her escaping to the North, and instead she told her that he would tell her master if she escaped. She was too determined to let that stop her, so she left her husband and escaped to Philadelphia. This is when her journey towards freedom began.
After abolitionists helped her escape to Philadelphia she got a job, and saved her money to help free slaves. Soon, she met William Still who was one of the masters of the Underground Railroad, by 1850 she was made an official conductor of the Underground Railroad. During this time the 1850 Fugitive slave act was passed, but this didn’t stop her. Instead the UGRR had to be more secretive, and more aware of their surroundings. She moved to Canada for the time being as Blacks were more welcomed there, and she saved as much as she could to run the operations for the UGRR and other plans she had in mind. By 1852 she had rescued so many people from the South, that she was known as, the “Moses”, and that’s when people starting recognizing her more, and appreciated what she was doing for all the slaves. When she went back to Canada to bring her parents and free them, she met the famous abolitionist John Brown, and he was so impressed by all she had done, that he looked upto her and called her, “General Tubman”. She was honored to be called this by him, and made her realized how people viewed her, which only made her more determined. She ended her rescues after 10 years in 1860, and has freed 300 slaves by then, and had made 19 trips in total without losing anyone on the way, UNBELIEVABLE!
The civil war took place, and there she enlisted as a contraband, who were blacks that who the Union army helped to escape from the Southern compounds. Harriet did more than needed for her job besides healing the sick and wounded, she also helped them find work. In the year of 1863 she worked with Colonel James Montgomery as a scout, and she brought together a group of spies to keep the Colonel informed about the people who would like to join the Union Army. After this she helped plan the Combahee River raid, and the main purpose was what she was doing this whole time, freeing slaves. In the year of 1869 she married Nelson Davis, who she met while guiding black soldiers in South Carolina. He was 10 years younger than her, but that didn’t stop them from getting married. During this period of time she founded and funded the Harriet Tubman Home for Sick of Indigent African Americans, where she was taken care of when she fell sick. Her life came to an end on March 10, 1913, which shocked everyone, and they were grieving for the next few months, and for some years. Before her death she had given her home for the elderly to the Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. After her death she was honored with a full military burial for not only her help with the Union forces and her contributions to bettering the life of others, but her never-ending work of freeing African-American slaves no matter how bad it got. unyielding work freeing her African-American counterparts from bondage. If it wasn’t for her, so many slaves wouldn’t have been able to escape, and make a better live for their family and themselves. Also without her help they didn’t have a future, and some slaves wanted to fight against slavery but were unable to in the South, as the Whites would overpower them, and the Blacks would end up dieing to being hurt. She was truly a hero, and to many the reason why they have the life they do today.
The first thing that comes to mind when we think of Harriet Tubman is the Underground Railroad. Honestly, that is what always came to my mind too before this project, I knew there were many other things she had done in life, but not what they were. Throughout this project I have come to learn so much about her as a person, the number of things she had accomplished in life, and helped with is overwhelming. I always looked upto her, but after this project she inspires me as a person and makes me want to make so many changes in this country, and stand up for things only I believe in whether there is 1 person against me or 1,000 people.
Works Cited
Wikepedia, "Harriet Tubman". May 5, 2009.
America's Story from America's library, "The life of Harriet Tubman". May 5, 2009 http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/tubman.
Judgement Day, "Harriet Tubman". May 10, 2009 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html.
New York History Net, "Harriet Tubman". May 10, 2009 http://www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm.
Works Cited
Wikepedia, "Harriet Tubman". May 5, 2009
America's Story from America's library, "The life of Harriet Tubman". May 5, 2009 http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/tubman.
Judgement Day, "Harriet Tubman". May 10, 2009 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html.
New York History Net, "Harriet Tubman". May 10, 2009 http://www.nyhistory.com/harriettubman/life.htm.
Biographies, "Harriet Tubman Biography / Autobiography / Memoir resources ". May 10, 2009 .
2nd Edition. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Gale Research, 1997.
2nd Edition. Encyclopedia of World Biography. Gale Research, 1997.
Abdul Jabar, Kareem, and Steinberg Alan. Black profiles in courage. New York: William Morrow and Company, 1996.
The Story of Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the Underground Railroad . New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell books for Young Readers, 1991.
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