Harriet Tubman

Among other captive American slaves, Harriet Tubman was known as an “Angel of Mercy”. She was born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland around 1821. Her early untiring work was well known among the slaves, abolitionists, and slave catchers. She escaped bondage in 1849 and dedicated her life to freeing other American slaves. Harriet Tubman became the most famous of the “Conductors of the Underground Railroad”. At the risk of being captured and hung she made 19 trips to the south and helped over 300 runaway slaves to freedom up North. She was known to be quick, shrewd, and clever. It is said that she never lost a ”passenger” on the freedom trail. Southern slave owners wanted to capture Ms. Tubman so badly, they offered a huge Reward of over $ 40,000 (around $ 600,00 in today’s money). During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman worked as a spy for the Union Army.