Full Name
Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross)[5]
Date of Birth
Between 1820 and 1822[3]
Date of Death
March 10, 1913[5]
Place of Birth
Dorchester County, Maryland, United States[5]
Spouse’s Name
- John Tubman (1844–1849)[5]
- Nelson Davis (1869–1888)[5]
Children’s Names
- Gertie (adopted daughter)[2]
Known Affiliates Names
- William Lloyd Garrison (abolitionist leader)[5]
- Frederick Douglass (abolitionist leader)[5]
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
- Underground Railroad (conductor)[3]
- Union Army (scout, spy, guerrilla soldier, and nurse during the Civil War)[3]
Personal Life
Harriet Tubman, born Araminta Ross in March of 1822, was one of nine children to Harriet “Rit” Green and Benjamin Ross. She was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, on the plantation of Anthony Thompson, Edward Brodess’ stepfather, located south of Madison in an area called Peter’s Neck[21]. Tubman was later brought to Bucktown, with her mother and siblings, to live on Brodess’ small farm[21]. At a young age, Tubman was hired out to provide childcare and later worked in various capacities, including as a field hand, cook, and woodcutter[3]. She suffered a severe head injury as a child when an overseer threw a heavy metal weight at another enslaved person, which struck Tubman instead, causing lifelong seizures, headaches, and narcolepsy[3][21].
In 1844, Tubman married John Tubman, a free Black man, and changed her first name from Araminta to Harriet, after her mother[21]. The marriage did not last, as after Tubman’s escape to freedom, John Tubman remarried[6].
Career
Harriet Tubman is most renowned for her role as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, leading approximately 70 enslaved individuals to freedom over 13 missions[21]. She utilized a network of antislavery activists and safe houses, traveling by night and employing various strategies to avoid capture[18]. During the Civil War, Tubman served the Union Army as a cook, nurse, scout, and spy[3]. In 1863, she became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, guiding the Combahee River Raid, which resulted in the liberation of over 700 enslaved people[8].
Achievements
Tubman’s achievements include her pivotal role in the Underground Railroad and her military contributions during the Civil War. She was also an advocate for women’s suffrage and civil rights[16]. Post-war, she established the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged to care for elderly African Americans[6]. In 2024, the United States Mint launched the Harriet Tubman Commemorative Coin Program to honor the bicentennial of her birth[1].
Controversies, Myths, Misconceptions
Contrary to popular belief, Tubman did not rescue 300 people in 19 trips; she rescued about 70 people in approximately 13 trips and provided instructions to about 70 more who self-liberated[21]. There was no 300[21]. Tubman’s life has been subject to myths and exaggerations, with some sources inaccurately depicting her achievements and life events[19].
Citations
[1] https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman [2] http://www.harriet-tubman.org/early-life/ [3] https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/harriet-tubman [4] https://www.britannica.com/summary/Harriet-Tubmans-Achievements [5] https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/news/article/the-truths-behind-the-myth-of-harriet-tubman [6] https://www.biography.com/activists/harriet-tubman [7] http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/hwny-tubman.html [8] https://studentpotential.org/celebrating-the-brilliance-of-black-women-harriet-tubmans-numerous-notable-accomplishments/ [9] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/five-myths-about-harriet-tubman/2016/04/22/b9f3a270-07f0-11e6-b283-e79d81c63c1b_story.html [10] https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/harriet-tubman [11] https://www.aroundrobin.com/harriet-tubman/ [12] https://study.com/academy/lesson/harriet-tubman-biography-timeline-facts.html [13] https://time.com/5715477/harriet-tubman-escape/ [14] http://www.harriettubmanbiography.com [15] https://www.nps.gov/hatu/planyourvisit/upload/MD_TubmanFactSheet_Biography_2.pdf [16] https://www.havefunwithhistory.com/harriet-tubman-accomplishments/ [17] https://whyy.org/articles/why-would-some-black-audiences-boycott-the-new-harriet-tubman-movie/ [18] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harriet-Tubman [19] https://msmagazine.com/2022/02/08/harriet-tubman-life-myth-misinformation-civil-rights-slavery/ [20] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman [21] https://www.nps.gov/hatu/planyourvisit/upload/MD_TubmanFactSheet_MythsFacts_2.pdf [22] https://harriettubmanbyway.org/harriet-tubman/ [23] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p1535.html