Comparing The Works Of Harriet Tubman, Gandhi, And Oprah Winfrey

Everyone has their hero and person of courage. These three individuals were manys’
heroes in similar and different ways. Harriet Tubman, Gandhi, and Oprah Winfrey made major impacts on human rights as they spoke out to the public in many ways. Each one of their mission were to help others gain rights and independence for themselves and their beliefs. Although they all used different methods to make a movement, they had the bravery and courage to take a stand on what they believed in.
Harriet Tubman is such a bold and fearless women who risked her lives to save others and get them out of slavery. She started the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape from the south, and doing this was a very dangerous thing. According to a Biography.com

editor who wrote on Harriet Tubman, “Tubman risked her life to lead hundreds of family members and other slaves from the plantation system to freedom on this elaborate secret network of safe houses.” She was very courageous to be able to start a way to allow freedom to others, even if it meant putting herself in danger. She was motivated to do this because she was born into slavery, therefore she had the knowledge of the conditions. The editor states, “Rather than remaining in the safety of the North, Tubman made it her mission to rescue her family and others living in slavery via the Underground Railroad.” Harriet felt that what she had to go through was not something that she wanted others to have to go through, which led to her starting a civil rights movement. Although, consequences did come; she had to face many challenges along her way. She had to deal with occasionally getting caught, resulting in major beatings. Based on Harriet Tubman :Conductor on the Underground Railroad, “She could not remember who first told her that those furious hoofbeats meant the patrollers were going past, in pursuit of a runaway” (Petry). She goes on to explain that she was risking a lot to help but it was all worth it. Harriet Tubman had a main role in starting a movement on civil rights, and encouraged others to stand up for equal rights as well.
Gandhi developed a philosophy called “Satyagraha” to defend his rights and the rights of Indians and Non-Whites.

In the article, “Satyagraha” : Gandhi’s Legacy, it states, “Gandhi developed his philosophy of “Satyagraha,” or resistance through non-violent civil disobedience to defend his rights and the rights of all Indians and non-whites.” He believed that racial and religious discrimination was wrong, leading him to have the motivation to end it because it gave freedom to him and everyone else. As referenced in the article, “... Indians and other non-white people were forced to ride at the back of trains, use separate facilities, and were treated as second-class citizens. Gandhi believed that this was wrong.” He faced major setbacks, including the fact that South Africa was under Britain’s control and limited their freedom for religious practices. The author explained, “Part of the problem in South Africa was that it was a British colony. Much as it had done in the American colonies, Britain controlled the South African government and all its practices and exacted taxes. It was this situation that led to much of the racial tension in the country.” Overall, Gandhi is a very intelligent man who invented a philosophy to end what he believed was

wrong.
Oprah Winfrey was a very courageous woman who fought not only for human rights, but also for the education of children.

She set up campaigns and looked to teach kids to be who they wanted to be. She also protested and spoke publicly to others about segregation. A Biography.com editor stated, ““She founded the Family for Better Lives foundation and also contributes to her alma mater, Tennessee State University. In September 2002, Oprah was named the first recipient of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.” She wanted kids and adults to become who they wanted to be without the hate and discrimination from others. She knew from experience as a child that what she wanted to be was not possible according to people she was around. She had to overcome hate and fear of failing as well as her family not supporting her in the beginning. She also faced a death of her infant child. The same article as earlier states, “she has a half-sister named Patricia. Oprah's mother gave birth to a baby girl in 1963. At the time, Oprah was 9 years old, and living with her father. Lee put the child up for adoption because she believed that she wouldn't be able to get off public assistance if she had another child to care for. Patricia lived in a series of foster homes until she was 7 years old.” She even had family members that she had never met until later in her life that she once said that she knew that they would’ve been the ones to support her. Although, she

had to be brave and do it on her own. She impacted others influence on life and what they wanted to do in life, as well as helping with the movement to end segregation and hate towards others for their religion and race.
In conclusion, all three people were major roles in helping the movement for human rights and freedom, and all stood up for what they believed in using different methods. Some, including Gandhi, even inspired others to take a stand and end racial discrimination. All of them felt that the need for independence all over the world, no matter what race, religion, or gender was crucial, resulting in them to all take that next big step.

Works Cited
Biography.com editors. “Harriet Tubman.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 2 Aug. 2017, www.biography.com/people/harriet-tubman-9511430.
“Oprah Winfrey.” Edited by Biography.com editors, Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 28 Apr. 2017, www.biography.com/people/oprah-winfrey-9534419.
Petry, Ann. “First Read: Harriet Tubman :Conductor on the Underground.” Studysync: Reading & Writing Companion, BookheadEd Learning, LLC, 2015.
“‘Satyagraha’ : Gandhi’s Legacy.” Studysync: Reading & Writing Companion, BookheadEd Learning, LLC, 2015.