Harriet Tubman was born in the year 1820 in acute slavery. Tubman is well known for her brave and humanitarian actions during American Civil war. Tubman played a significant role in freedom of African-American. Tubman was born as a slave and spent her childhood serving her masters but she aspired for freedom. She took various actions in order to make herself free. This paper discusses major actions and accomplishments of Harriet Tubman.
In year 1849, Tubman was escaped to south but then returned to Maryland in order to release her family from the slavery. She did not only take her family back from slavery but also several others. Her masters were not aware that Tubman was behind escape of several slaves. In 1850 Congress passed Fugitive Slave Act which ordered law officials to recapture slaves from Southern Free States. However this new act did not stop Tubman to help slaves. She guided slaves to move to North Canada, a place where slavery was banned in year 1834. Her actions resulted in freedom of a number of slaves (Humez).
During American Civil War, Tubman delivered her services in Union Army. She worked in Union army as a cook, nurse and further as armed scout & spy. Tubman was the first women leader who escorted arm voyage during war. She was the one who guided Combahee River Raid. During this raid almost 700 slaves were made free in S. Carolina. Tubman helped several slaves to achieve freedom which was almost unrealistic dream for slaves. After her great and brave work during Civil War, Tubman started fighting for women’s rights and suffrage.
During her journey to freedom, Tubman meets with John Tubman who was a free African-American. She married him in a hope for better future together. After marriage she asked her husband to go to North where she will be free. Tubman was scared of getting traded which will put an end to their marriage. However, her husband refused to share her dream and declined her proposal to go to North. He also warned her that if she escapes, he will inform her master. During that time it was very common the families have both slave and free members. At that time half of African-Americans were free. Tubman also wanted to be free and in order to achieve her dream she tried to escape without her husband. Her dream of freedom was bigger than living in as marriage with slavery status.
In year 1850, Tubman was appointed as UGRR’s official conductor. This position reflects that Tubman was aware of different routes and ways to free lands. Tubman was appointed to the position with a promise to keep secret of project Underground Railroad. During her work on Underground Railroad she went to South to liberate her brother along with his friends. They were in the middle way of escaping hence Tubman took them and lead them to Thomas Garret, who was very famous Stationmaster.
During same time it became unlawful to help slaves in getting them escape because of Fugitive Act. A hard penalty of $1000 was proposed on the US marshals who deny the return of an escaped slave. This act increased the secrecy of the Underground Railroad project. All the efforts made by Congress did not stop Tubman from helping slaves and taking them to the Freeland.
Work Cited
Humez, Jean M. Harriet Tubman: The Life and the Life Stories. Wisconsin: Univ of Wisconsin Press., 2003.
