Contents
Harriet Tubman
Escaping slavery and returning repeatedly to guide others to freedom.
Underground Railroad · Combahee River raid
- Born
- c. 1822
- Birthplace
- Dorchester County, Maryland, United States
- Died
- 10 March 1913
More people
Harriet Tubman
An American abolitionist who also served the Union during the Civil War. Her later public work included women’s suffrage and care for older people.
Early life
Born enslaved
Born Araminta Ross around 1822; her exact birth date is uncertain.
Lasting injury
Suffered a severe head injury while enslaved that affected her throughout life.
Career
- 1849
Escape
Reached freedom in Pennsylvania.
- 1850s
Rescue missions
Returned to Maryland to guide relatives and others out of slavery.
- 1861–1865
Civil War service
Worked as a nurse, scout and intelligence gatherer for the Union.
- Later life
Auburn community
Supported suffrage and care work in New York.
Actions & contributions
Underground Railroad
Guided approximately seventy people through a series of missions.
Combahee River raid
Helped guide an operation that freed more than seven hundred people.
Home for older people
Supported the opening of a home in Auburn.
Beyond the Underground Railroad
Faith
Religious belief was central to how she understood her work and survival.
Suffrage
Supported the movement for women’s voting rights.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗National Park Service history ↗Photo: Powelson, Benjamin F. 1823 - 1885. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
.jpg){kind=link}