Photo: Benjamin F. Powelson Collection of the National Museum of African American History and Culture shared with the Library of Congress, 2017.30.4
At the intersection of US’ Black History Month in February and International Women’s Day in March, the zeitgeist compels me to share the story of Harriet Tubman. There are several historical and public figures that have inspired the world such as Michelle Obama, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, Audrey Hepburn, Oprah Winfrey and Abraham Lincoln. However, Tubman’s story makes her one of the greatest symbols of self-empowerment that the world has ever seen.
Harriet Tubman was an African American woman born into slavery in 1822 yet escaped to become one of history’s most noted abolitionists, activist for racial equality, women’s rights & the suffrage movement. Not only was Harriet Tubman the first black woman in the United States Army, she was also the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the United States. Tubman has become an icon for courage and freedom.
Early life
Harriet Tubman was a woman who rose from seemingly impossible circumstances to become immensely powerful, very clever and accomplished. She was born in a country and in a time when a black female was considered the lowest cast of humans with the least amount of value in most cases. Earlier in her life, Tubman suffered a traumatic head wound when an angry slave owner threw a heavy metal weight intending to hit another slave that hit her instead. The injury caused pain, dizziness and bouts of hypersomnia, which occurred throughout her life. Tubman was unable to read or write. Despite all of these circumstances, she freed approximately 770 slaves throughout her life.
Underground Railroad
Tubman escaped slavery in Maryland in 1849 and fled 90 miles to freedom in Philadelphia. Despite her hard-earned freedom, she selflessly returned 13 times over 8 years to help free a total of 70 slaves including her entire family and other slaves. With a bounty on her head, Tubman persisted to venture on these heroic journeys. The Underground Railroad was used in their route to freedom which was North, and then later they ventured further North into Canada. Tubman was never caught. She carried a small pistol for protection against slave catchers. The pistol was also useful for encouraging faint-hearted runaways from returning to their owners because it would risk the safety of the rest of the group, and potentially sabotage future rescue missions. For this reason, it’s been alleged that whenever runaways insisted on turning back, Harriet would pull out her pistol and say, “dead men tell no tales”. And they would carry on with the journey. However, she never shot any of them. She helped former slaves find employment in their new places.
US Civil War
When the American Civil War began in 1861, Tubman worked for the Union Army as a cook, nurse, armed scout and eventually as a spy. She later became the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, as she brazenly led the Combahee Ferry raid in South Carolina that freed 700 slaves. After the war, Tubman raised funds to aid freed men, established the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged where she housed and took care of the elderly. She also became active in the women's suffrage movement. Tubman died in 1913. She was buried with military honours.
Photo: Getty Images.
Legacy
Dozens of schools were named in her honour, in addition to a museum in Aubury, New York and other institutions. The U.S. Treasury Department announced in 2016 that Tubman’s portrait would be centred on the new $20 bill. In May 2019, U.S. Treasury Secretary announced that there would be a delay until 2026 at the earliest.
Fortunately a film was made in 2019, chronicling Tubman’s life called Harriet. See the trailer below.
Given the socio-political issues that we have today with gender and race inequalities, climate injustice or even how bad we feel our lives are, it helps to look at people like Tubman. She reminds us that change is possible. And that anything is possible. She symbolises a benchmark for knowing that we can find strength within ourselves even when it seems all hope is lost. It’s humbling to know that a woman, born as a slave, without resources, status and legally no right to even call her own life her own, could create such a legacy in the 1800s. All I’m saying is, whatever positive change we’re hoping to create in the world or within our personal lives, just know that YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN!
♥ Nina Gbor
Instagram: @eco.styles
References:
https://www.biography.com/activist/harriet-tubman
https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/harriet-tubman
https://www.history.com/news/harriet-tubman-combahee-ferry-raid-civil-war