Harriet Tubman

"I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other." This above quote stated by Harriet Tubman is evidence of her inclusive dedication to the emancipation of slavery. One of Tubman's most distinguished accomplishments includes her efforts in the Underground Railroad. In September of 1850 she was made an official "conductor" of the Railroad; she knew all the routes to free territory. Her hard work continued as she rescued over 300 slaves in the south not losing one in the process. Her labors did not go unnoticed. Fellow abolitionists and leaders expressed considerable amounts of gratitude and acknowledgement through letters and speeches. She has been recognized throughout history as a primary abolitionist, declaring slavery an act of malevolence. By helping free slaves and testifying to the immorality of slavery, Harriet Tubman was the leading advocate for abolition in antebellum America.

Harriet Tubman's life is one for the records with so much history and importance behind it. In 1849 she escaped from slavery and settled in Philadelphia. There, she found work as a scrubwoman. Over the next ten years she became very involved in the Abolition movement, forming friendships with one of the black leaders of the Underground Railroad, William Still, and white abolitionist Thomas Garrett. She became an inspiring conductor of the Underground Railroad putting her own life ahead of her people. Her drudgery did not stop there. During the Civil War Harriet Tubman served as a scout, a spy, and a nurse. Because of her influential involvement in the abolitionist act she came into contact with many dominant social leaders in the North. While all of her accomplishments were notable, her involvement in the Underground Railroad is one most infamous to the United States.

Harriet Tubman's abolitionist actions were directly associated to the actual freeing of slaves on the Underground Railroad. She did many wonderful things while involved in the Underground Railroad. Some of which were working as an agent, assuming different disguises to assist runaways in obtaining food, shelter, clothing, cash, and transportation. (Maxwell) The Underground Railroad was a vast network of people who helped fugitive slaves escape to the North and to Canada. With all of the work that Harriet did, she did not receive much of the appropriate consideration and appreciation from the public.