Born a slow child who could hardly string two words together, she became an amazing woman who will be famous for
the next 200 years and more. YES, a woman had made a difference, and even though many people still believe in the
stereotype that men are stronger and more courageous, this woman proved that all wrong.
Born in the 1800's, Harriet Tubman's family were black slaves on a lumber farm in Maryland. Their owners also
"produced" and sold slaves. Harriet grew up the child who liked to stare into the sky and watch the clouds go
past as all the children were running around. This was at a time when blacks had no human rights in America, and
were known as property, especially in the southern states.
When Harriet was about 10 years old, she found herself fond of working outside. After being sold to another
family and brought back because she detested housework, she was allowed to work outside -- and forced to do
back-breaking jobs of lifting that only full grown men could really do. If she could not do them, she was
whipped. Now imagine a 10-year-old child working outside in the hot sun, trying to lift 200-pound logs... can you
imagine it?
This obviously gave Harriet a strong physique as she grew up. One day when she was working, she learned her owner
had died, which meant that Harriet and her fellow slaves were to be sold -- which might meant they would be sent
to the deep south in the chain gang. This only meant one thing to Harriet: that she would never be free. Her
master was the only one who could set her free and when sold to the south, she would never have the chance of
becoming a free woman. Being free was her dream and she wanted it quite badly.
A white woman whom Harriet had talked to on a visit with her master had told her in secrecy that she would help
her if she needed. And so Harriet set off and went to this white woman's house, where she was given food and sent
to another house. Each house gave her a name and directions to her next destinations.
Harriet hid in potato bins and was taken into many different varieties of houses. When she found her destination,
which was in Philadelphia, Penn., she found that freedom suited her very well. She got a job where she could make
money that she could use however she pleased. Pennsylvania was a free state and is located in the North of the
USA. Runaway slaves found their way there by the thousands.
After discovering the joys of freedom, she thought of her two other brothers who had been sent to the chain gang,
and she knew what she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to set all of her family free so they could live
free like her.
After saving up her money, she set off, back to her hometown. She soon rescued her sister's family, and then one
brother and his wife, along with four other slaves wanting to be free -- she brought them to Canada.
She became a famous conductor of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad basically consisted of free
Americans who helped slaves stay in their homes, find places to eat and sleep, until they were able to flee to
the next house or place of refuge. It was not an actual train under the ground, as you should know.
Harriet's trips through the Underground Railroad became frequent: she would stay with the slaves for a few months
after delivering them into freedom, so they could adjust to the weather, and then she set off to make money for
her next trip to free more of her family and others. After a few trips, Harriet knew the route to the north and
to Canada very well and had set many slaves free along with her family.
For about six years, Harriet went and forth from the southern parts of America to the northern states and Canada,
setting about three HUNDRED slaves free. She was known as the "Moses" of her people.
After the Civil War (in which she acted as nurse, scout and sometimes even a spy), new laws set in and all slaves
were freed. Harriet found that she was an superb speaker. She went from city to city telling people about her
story -- she was an amazing and motivational woman.
Altogether, all the hurdles that Harriet overcame have been an inspiration to an enormous number of people. Even
almost 150 years after her work on the Underground Railroad, people are still moved by what she did.
Harriet was proud to say, "I never ran my train off the track, and I never lost a passenger."
Your (slow) reporter,
FudgyFeud
