Ceramic Mug 11oz

Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist, humanitarian, and civil rights icon, best known for her work as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, where she led enslaved people to freedom.

Who Was Harriet Tubman?

• Born Araminta Ross around 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was enslaved from birth.
• She escaped slavery in 1849, traveling to freedom in Philadelphia.
• Tubman returned to the South multiple times, risking her life to guide approximately 70 enslaved people to freedom, including family and friends.

The Reward for Her Capture

• By 1856, Southern slaveholders placed a $40,000 bounty on her capture, a massive sum at the time. This figure may have been a combined total of various bounties offered2.

How Did She Free Slaves?

• Tubman used the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses and routes.
• She traveled by night, often following the North Star for guidance.
• She used coded songs and signals to communicate with those she was helping.
• Tubman carried a pistol, both for protection and to discourage anyone from turning back, which could endanger the entire group4.
• She was known for her strategic planning, often timing escapes to avoid detection, such as leaving on Saturdays when newspapers wouldn’t publish runaway notices until Monday.

Tubman’s courage and ingenuity earned her the nickname “Moses”, symbolizing her role in leading her people to freedom. Her legacy as a freedom fighter and humanitarian continues to inspire generations.