The breathtaking courage of Harriet Tubman - Janell Hobson

Summary

The video recounts Harriet Tubman’s life and her sustained fight for freedom, from her childhood under slavery to her work as an Underground Railroad conductor, Civil War leader, and advocate for women’s suffrage.

Early life and injury

Born Araminta Ross in Maryland in the early 1820s, Tubman was enslaved from birth and endured harsh treatment. As a child, she was struck by a weight thrown by an overseer, leaving her with lifelong episodes of sudden sleep.

She later worked alongside her father, who taught her lumbering. The work strengthened her physically and brought her into contact with free Black sailors and the information networks used along trade routes.

Escape to freedom

After marrying John Tubman in 1844, she took the name Harriet. When her enslaver died and she feared being sold away from her loved ones, she fled north. An initial attempt with two of her brothers ended when they turned back. In autumn 1849, she made the journey alone, following the North Star to Pennsylvania.

Underground Railroad work

Tubman returned to the South 13 times to help free relatives and many others. Working with abolitionists, she guided enslaved people first to the North and later to Canada, earning the nickname “Black Moses.”

She described her record with the Underground Railroad metaphor:

“I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger.”

Civil War service

Tubman served the Union as a nurse, scout, and spy. In 1863, she planned and led a military raid in South Carolina that liberated nearly 700 enslaved people.

Continued activism after the war

Although constitutional amendments abolished slavery, established citizenship, and gave formerly enslaved Black men voting rights, Tubman continued helping formerly enslaved people. She raised funds and helped support schools and a hospital.

Women’s suffrage and recognition

From 1888 onward, Tubman became more active in the movement for women’s voting rights. She appeared at meetings and conventions, including one organized by the National Association of Colored Women.

Allies also helped her pursue a military veteran’s pension, which she was granted in 1899.

Legacy

Tubman died in 1913 at age 91. Her final words, as quoted in the video, were:

“I go away to prepare a place for you.”

The account closes by noting that the U.S. Treasury announced in 2016 that her image would appear on a redesigned twenty-dollar bill.

Speakers and sources featured

• Narrator and lesson author: Janell Hobson
• Harriet Tubman: Quoted through remarks attributed to her, including her statement about the Underground Railroad and her final words.