Discrimination And Slavery: Harriet Tubman And The Underground Railroad

Discrimination and slavery filled our nation in the mid 19th century. African Americans were discriminated and seen as “property,” not human beings. Harriet Tubman was a history maker. She rebelled against the slavery standards and demanded her voice to be heard. Because she believed every person had a right to be free, Harriet Tubman risked her life to save others. Having been born as a slave, Harriet Tubman was no stranger to the harsh reality of slavery. Tubman’s childhood included working as a house servant and later in the cotton fields. With the fear of being sold, Tubman decided to escape for a better life. Harriet Tubman spent her life trying to save others from slavery, becoming one of the most famous women of her time who was able

These trips from the South to the North that she made became known as the Underground Railroad. “The Underground Railroad was a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved Africans to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause” (30 Facts about Harriet Tubman). Tubman became the famous “conductor” of the Underground Railroad. To be a runaway slave was very dangerous, especially when there were rewards for your capture, like in Tubman’s case. “If anyone ever wanted to change his or her mind during the journey to freedom and return, Tubman pulled out a gun and said, ‘You'll be free or die a slave!’ Tubman knew that if anyone turned back, it would put her and the other escaping slaves in danger of discovery, capture or even death” (Harriet Tubman - Leading Slaves into Freedom). Many slaves dreamed of freedom and Tubman was able to help make that dream come true. The slaves would sing the spiritual song “Go Down Moses,” and “Slaves hoped a savior would deliver them from slavery just as Moses had delivered the Israelites from slavery” (Harriet Tubman - Leading Slaves into