Harriet Tubman Contribution

“Harriet Tubman”

“I have heard their groans and sighs, and seen their tears, and I would give every drop of blood in my veins to free them” (Bradford). This quote from Harriet Tubman shows her overall gratitude towards the people who came to her for help and her kindness to comfort and care for them. In addition, Harriet Tubman was one of the greatest icons in history during the civil war. She was one of the greatest leaders in the Underground Railroad and she led many fugitives to freedom. Harriet Tubman struggled to live a normal life after her childhood experiences, she omitted great contributions to society, and is talked and taught about all around the world every day.

As a young adult, Harriet Tubman struggled to live a normal life

because of her childhood experiences. In her early years, slavery was one thing that dramatically changed and shaped her life. Born to slaves Harriet Green and Benjamin Ross, Tubman was automatically born into slavery. As a slave, she was not offered a formal education leading her to learn everything by herself (Rummel 201). This evidence shows that Harriet Tubman received less privileges than those of same age and different race. Since she was treated so poorly, Harriet Tubman fled her owner in 1849. Tubman overheard rumors that she was going to be sold, so she fled her owner with hopes of making it to freedom ("Harriet Tubman" 182). This data shows that escaping slavery created new opportunities within her life. Tubman was always treated disrespectfully because of her race. As a young adult, she was forcefully ordered to a smoking car with other African Americans, and refused causing her violent removal from the train (“Tubman, Harriet” 197). This evidence shows the immense segregation in the world around her at the time. In all, Harriet Tubman encountered many struggles that shaped her as a person.
In addition, Tubman has created better lives for many through her contributions to society.

Throughout her life, Tubman made huge acts of kindness and courage to make everyone else’s lives better. Harriet Tubman was a leader of the Underground Railroad where she conducted as many as 13 escape missions. In the end, Tubman conducted around 300 fugitive slaves to the North (“Harriet Tubman” 182). This evidence states that Harriet Tubman was willing to help as many people get to freedom as she could in hopes to create better lives for everyone. After Tubman’s experience with the Underground Railroad, she served as a cook and nurse for Union generals. “She never received any pay for her nursing services either; so she struggled to support herself by making and selling pies and root beer and by washing and sewing for the local Union officers.” (“Tubman, Harriet” 196). This data explains some ways that Tubman helped out society. When Tubman joined the Union forces, she became their spy to gather information on Confederate troops. From 1862 to 1865, Tubman was a spy for the Union forces and was repeatedly sent on missions to gather information on the Confederate forces (“Harriet Tubman” 183). This evidence shows that Tubman was willing to put her life in danger to get the needed information for the Union generals to make planned attacks. Overall, Harriet Tubman has done many things for society and the many people who followed

her.
Harriet Tubman is known to be one of the most influential people in history and is still remembered today. Throughout her life, she has done many life-changing things that are still talked about all around the world. She had much determination and pride in bringing fugitives to the North. Tubman never lost a slave while leading them on expeditions to freedom (“Harriet Tubman” 183). This evidence shows that Tubman was a leader and was respectively followed in the Underground Railroad. She was also known as the “Moses of her people.” Due to her “extraordinary courage, ingenuity, persistence, and iron discipline, which she enforced upon her charges,” Tubman became very well respected and was a leader to her people (“Harriet Tubman” 182-183). This data shows that Tubman’s extreme generosity and courage is still recognized today. Also, she created the Harriet Tubman Home for the Indigent Aged Negroes. Tubman created a home where she took in poor elderly and orphan African Americans (Rummel 202). This evidence shows that after her death, her home was still used and cherished by the people who used her home. In conclusion, Tubman has left a legacy in which people look up to her every day.
In Tubman’s younger years, her life was shaped from those experiences. Although life may have been hard as a slave, Tubman still found ways to get away from slavery and help create very beneficial things, such as the Underground Railroad, to help her fellow peers. Today, Harriet Tubman is still talked about whether it’s in the history classroom or reading about that time in history. Therefore, knowing Harriet’s life gives us a better look into how she lived and how she impacted the lives of many. While problems such as racism and disrespect still occur today, Harriet Tubman is known as one of the greatest advocates for slavery and segregation leaving her with a long lasting legacy.