Our inspiration
Harriet Tubman (c.1820-1913)

Tubman Family Alliance continues the kind of work begun many years ago by Harriet Tubman, who helped free hundreds of slaves. The agency provides safe passage from violence for women and children, and helps them achieve their own freedom, just as Harriet helped so many people achieve freedom.

Harriet Tubman was an amazing woman. She escaped slavery, helped 300 other people escape, fought bravely against the system that allowed slavery, and helped the poor and the homeless find places for themselves.

In 1849, Harriet Tubman escaped the Maryland plantation where she'd been a slave all her life. That day, she told herself, “I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasts.”

Born circa 1820, Harriet grew up tough and rebellious. Her master often beat her, and he made her work hard in the fields. She married John Tubman when she was 24, and told him she wanted to escape to the North. He told her he would not let her leave. But Harriet did escape, leaving behind her husband, her parents, and her brothers and sisters.

She wasn't alone for long. A kind Quaker woman took her in for a day and told her about the Underground Railroad, an ever-shifting route of homes and hideouts, run by people who risked their own safety to help slaves escape to the North. Harriet traveled on foot, or sometimes a friendly “railroad conductor” would hide her under a load of straw or vegetables and take her to the next safe resting place. Finally she got to Pennsylvania, a free state. She said, “I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person now that I was free ... I felt like I was in heaven.” She had made the passage from slavery, but Harriet faced many challenges, and now she was alone in a strange place.

Harriet knew she must find a home and a job. She moved to Philadelphia and worked in a hotel kitchen. She found friends in an abolitionist group, and she learned more about the Underground Railroad. Harriet decided that since she was free, her family and other slaves should be free also. The Underground Railroad was their path out of slavery, and Harriet would show them the way.

Harriet made the dangerous trip south 19 times, and eventually rescued her parents, brothers, sisters, and many others. She taught them to hide during the day and travel quietly by night, following the “Dipping Gourd” - a pattern in the stars that always pointed North to freedom. Harriet never let anyone turn back. She was bold and fearless, and she never lost a single person during all those escapes.

During the Civil War, Harriet worked for the Union Army as a nurse and a spy. She led some daring military raids. She also helped homeless former slaves find homes and work.

After the war, Harriet dedicated the rest of her life to helping those in need. She established a home for poor, elderly blacks. She advocated for women's rights, saying, “Tell the women to stand together.”

Harriet died in her home in 1913 at the age of 93. Today we celebrate her life, which was devoted to helping others achieve freedom, peace and happiness.

Bibliography

Literature

Biography

Bradford, Sarah. Harriet, the Moses of her people. New York: for the author by G. R. Lockwood & Son, 1886. 149 pp.

Bradford, Sarah. Scenes in the life of Harriet Tubman. Auburn, New York: W.J. Moses, printer, 1869. 132 pp.

Bradford, Sarah. Scenes in the life of Harriet Tubman / Harriet Tubman, the Moses of her people. Bedford, Mass.: Applewood Books, 1993 (reprint). 149 pp., illus.

Conrad, Earl. Harriet Tubman. Washington, D.C.: The Associated Publishers, 1943. 248 pp.

Sterling, Dorothy. Freedom train: The story of Harriet Tubman. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1954. 191 pp., illus.

Fiction

Heidish, Marcy. A woman called Moses: A novel based on the life of Harriet Tubman. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976. 308 pp.

Parrish, Anne. A clouded star. New York: Harper 1948. 242 pp.

Swift, Hildegarde Hoyt. The railroad to freedom: A story of the civil war. New York: Harcourt, Brace and company, 1932. 364 pp., illus.

Other

Lawrence, Jacob. The Harriet Tubman series, Buffalo, New York: Buffalo Fine Arts Academy, 1986. Portraits, 12 pp., illus.

Wheat, Ellen Harkins. Jacob Lawrence: The Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman series of 1938-40. Hampton, Virginia: Hampton University Museum, 1991. Portraits, art criticism.


Juvenile literature

Biography

Adler, David. A picture book of Harriet Tubman. New York, New York: Holiday House, 1992. Illus.

Bains, Rae. Harriet Tubman: The road to freedom. Mahwah, New Jersey: Troll Associates, 1982. 48 pp.

Benjamin, Anne. Young Harriet Tubman: Freedom fighter. Mahwah, New Jersey: Troll Associates, 1992. 32 pp., illus.

Bentley, Judith. Harriet Tubman. New York: F. Watts, 1990. 144 pp., illus.

Burns, Bree. Harriet Tubman. New York: Chelsea Juniors, 1992. 80 pp., illus.

Carlson, Judy. Harriet Tubman: Call to freedom. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1989. 116 pp., illus.

Carter, Polly. Harriet Tubman and Black history month. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Silver Press, 1990. 32 pp., illus.

Elish, Dan. Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad. Brookfield, Connecticut: Millbrook Press, 1993. 32 pp., illus.

Epstein, Sam and Beryl. Harriet Tubman: Guide to freedom. Champaign, Illinois: Garrard Pub. Co., 1968. 96 pp., illus.

Ferris, Jeri. Go free or die: A story about Harriet Tubman. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Carolrhoda Books, 1988. 63 pp., illus.

Grant, Matthew G. Harriet Tubman: Black liberator. Mankato, Minnesota: Creative Education; distributed by Childrens Press, Chicago, 1974. 29 pp., illus.

Johnson, Ann Donegan. The value of helping: The story of Harriet Tubman. La Jolla, California: Value Communications, 1979. 63 pp., illus.

Johnson, LaVerne C. Kumi & Chanti tell the story of Harriet Tubman. Chicago, Illinois: Empak Enterprises, 1992. 32 pp., illus. “Two African children following their mission of exploring African-American history record the story of Harriet Tubman.”

Kelton, Nancy. Rebel slave. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Raintree Editions; Chicago, Illinois: distributed by Childrens Press, 1977. 31 pp., illus.

Klingel, Cindy. Harriet Tubman: Black literator (1820-1913). Mankato, Minnesota: Creative Education, 1987 30 pp., illus.

McClard, Megan. Harriet Tubman: Slavery and the underground railroad. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Silver Burdett Press, 1991. 133 pp., illus.

McLoone, Margo. Harriet Tubman: A photo-illustrated biography. Mankato, Minnesota: Bridgestone Press, 1997. 24 pp., illus.

McMullan, Kate. The story of Harriet Tubman: Conductor of the underground railroad. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: G. Stevens Pub., 1997. 108 pp., illus.

Meyer, Linda D. Harriet Tubman: They called me Moses. Seattle, Washington: Parenting Press, 1988. 24 pp.

Mosher, Kiki. Learning about bravery from the life of Harriet Tubman / Harriet Tubman. New York: PowerKids Press, 1996. 24 pp., illus.

Petry, Ann Lane. Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad. New York: Crowell, 1955. 247 p.

Plummer, William K. Harriet Tubman: Freedom girl. Indianapolis, Indiana: Bobbs-Merrill, 1969. 200 pp., illus.

Powers, R.M. Runaway slave: The story of Harriet Tubman. New York, New York: Four Winds Press, 1965. illus.

Rowley, John. Harriet Tubman. Des Plaines, Illinois: Heinemann Interactive Library, 1998. 24 pp., illus.

Sabin, Francene. Harriet Tubman. Mahwah, New Jersey: Troll Associates, 1985. 30 pp., illus.

Schroeder, Alan. Minty: A story of young Harriet Tubman. New York, New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996. illus.

Smith, Kathie Billingslea. Harriet Tubman. New York: J. Messner, 1988. 24 pp., illus.

Sterling, Philip and Logan, Rayford. Four took freedom: The lives of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Robert Smalls, and Blanche K. Bruce. Garden City, New York, Doubleday, 1967. 116 pp., illus.

Taylor, M.W. Harriet Tubman. New York, New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. 111 pp., illus.


Juvenile fiction

Hedstrom, Deborah. From slavery to freedom with Harriet Tubman. Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishers, 1997.

Hoober, Dorothy and Thomas and Carey-Greenberg Associates. Next stop, freedom: The story of a slave girl. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Silver Burdett Press, 1991. 54 pp., illus.

Humphreville, Frances T. Harriet Tubman: Flame of freedom. Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1967. 189 pp., illus.

Jackson, Dave and Neta. Listen for the whippoorwill. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Bethany House, 1993. 144 pp., illus.

Ringgold, Faith. Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the sky. New York, New York: Crown, 1992. illus.


Other juvenile

Childress, Alice. When the rattlesnake sounds: A play. New York, New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, 1975. Juvenile drama, 32 pp, illus.

Encyclopaedia Britannica Educational Corp. Harriet Tubman (filmstrip). 1969. Biography, 62 frames, color.

Lawrence, Jacob. Harriet and the Promised Land. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1993. Juvenile poetry, illus.

Troll Associates. Harriet Tubman (filmstrip). Troll Associates, 1969. Biography, 43 frames, color.