Harriet Tubman Day

History 5 Minutes

Harriet Tubman was an escaped enslaved woman who became a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, leading enslaved people to freedom before the Civil War, all while carrying a bounty on her head. But she was also a nurse, a Union spy and a women’s suffrage supporter. Tubman is one of the most recognized icons in American history and her legacy has inspired countless people from every race and background. NOTE: Harriet Tubman Day is celebrated on the day that she died, because her exact birthday is unknown.

When Was Harriet Tubman Born?

Harriet Tubman was born around 1820 on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. Her parents, Harriet (“Rit”) Green and Benjamin Ross, named her Araminta Ross and called her “Minty.”

Rit worked as a cook in the plantation’s “big house,” and Benjamin was a timber worker. Araminta later changed her first name to Harriet in honor of her mother.

Harriet had eight brothers and sisters, but the realities of slavery eventually forced many of them apart, despite Rit’s attempts to keep the family together. When Harriet was five years old, she was rented out as a nursemaid where she was whipped when the baby cried, leaving her with permanent emotional and physical scars.

Around age seven Harriet was rented out to a planter to set muskrat traps and was later rented out as a field hand. She later said she preferred physical plantation work to indoor domestic chores.

A Good Deed Gone Bad

Harriet’s desire for justice became apparent at age 12 when she spotted an overseer about to throw a heavy weight at a fugitive. Harriet stepped between the enslaved person and the overseer—the weight struck her head.

She later said about the incident, “The weight broke my skull … They carried me to the house all bleeding and fainting. I had no bed, no place to lie down on at all, and they laid me on the seat of the loom, and I stayed there all day and the next.”

Harriet’s good deed left her with headaches and narcolepsy the rest of her life, causing her to fall into a deep sleep at random. She also started having vivid dreams and hallucinations which she often claimed were religious visions (she was a staunch Christian). Her infirmity made her unattractive to potential slave buyers and renters.

Escape from Slavery

In 1840, Harriet’s father was set free and Harriet learned that Rit’s owner’s last will had set Rit and her children, including Harriet, free. But Rit’s new owner refused to recognize the will and kept Rit, Harriet and the rest of her children in bondage.

Around 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, a free Black man, and changed her last name from Ross to Tubman. The marriage was not good, and the knowledge that two of her brothers—Ben and Henry—were about to be sold provoked Harriet to plan an escape.

Harriet Tubman: Underground Railroad

On September 17, 1849, Harriet, Ben and Henry escaped their Maryland plantation. The brothers, however, changed their minds and went back. With the help of the Underground Railroad, Harriet persevered and traveled 90 miles north to Pennsylvania and freedom.

Tubman found work as a housekeeper in Philadelphia, but she wasn’t satisfied living free on her own—she wanted freedom for her loved ones and friends, too.

She soon returned to the south to lead her niece and her niece’s children to Philadelphia via the Underground Railroad. At one point, she tried to bring her husband John north, but he’d remarried and chose to stay in Maryland with his new wife.

Fugitive Slave Act

The 1850 Fugitive Slave Act allowed fugitive and freed workers in the north to be captured and enslaved. This made Harriet’s role as an Underground Railroad conductor much harder and forced her to lead enslaved people further north to Canada, traveling at night, usually in the spring or fall when the days were shorter.

She carried a gun for both her own protection and to “encourage” her charges who might be having second thoughts. She often drugged babies and young children to prevent slave catchers from hearing their cries.

Over the next 10 years, Harriet befriended other abolitionists such as Frederick Douglass, Thomas Garrett and Martha Coffin Wright, and established her own Underground Railroad network. It’s widely reported she emancipated 300 enslaved people; however, those numbers may have been estimated and exaggerated by her biographer Sarah Bradford, since Harriet herself claimed the numbers were much lower.

Nevertheless, it’s believed Harriet personally led at least 70 enslaved people to freedom, including her elderly parents, and instructed dozens of others on how to escape on their own. She claimed, “I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger.”

Harriet Tubman’s Civil War Service

When the Civil War broke out in 1861, Harriet found new ways to fight slavery. She was recruited to assist fugitive enslaved people at Fort Monroe and worked as a nurse, cook and laundress. Harriet used her knowledge of herbal medicines to help treat sick soldiers and fugitive enslaved people.

In 1863, Harriet became head of an espionage and scout network for the Union Army. She provided crucial intelligence to Union commanders about Confederate Army supply routes and troops and helped liberate enslaved people to form Black Union regiments.

Though just over five feet tall, she was a force to be reckoned with, although it took over three decades for the government to recognize her military contributions and award her financially.

Harriet Tubman’s Later Years

After the Civil War, Harriet settled with family and friends on land she owned in Auburn, New York. She married former enslaved man and Civil War veteran Nelson Davis in 1869 (her husband John had died 1867) and they adopted a little girl named Gertie a few years later.

Harriet had an open-door policy for anyone in need. She supported her philanthropy efforts by selling her home-grown produce, raising pigs and accepting donations and loans from friends. She remained illiterate yet toured parts of the northeast speaking on behalf of the women’s suffrage movement and worked with noted suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony.

In 1896, Harriet purchased land adjacent to her home and opened the Harriet Tubman Home for Aged and Indigent Colored People. The head injury she suffered in her youth continued to plague her and she endured brain surgery to help relieve her symptoms. But her health continued to deteriorate and eventually forced her to move into her namesake rest home in 1911.

Pneumonia took Harriet Tubman’s life on March 10, 1913, but her legacy lives on. Schools and museums bear her name and her story has been revisited in books, movies and documentaries.

Harriet Tubman: $20 Bill

In 2016, the United States Treasury announced that Harriet’s image will replace that of former President and slaveowner Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (who served under President Trump) later announced the new bill would be delayed until at least 2026. In January 2021, President Biden’s administration announced it would speed up the design process to mint the bills honoring Tubman’s legacy.

Tubman even had a World War II Liberty ship named after her, the SS Harriet Tubman.

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Published by pat frederick

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150 thoughts on “Harriet Tubman Day”

  3. because he’s an ACTOR…every actor wants an OSCAR

    Troublemaker10
    Troublemaker10
    March 10, 2023 2:34 pm

    Seriously? Why would any president of a country at war campaign for a spot at the Oscar’s?

    *******

    Zelensky Humiliated After Getting Rejected From Making Special Appearance On The Oscars For Second Year In A Row

    Excerpt:

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attempts to secure a spot on this year’s Oscars telecast have been unsuccessful for the second year in a row. While the leader has been warmly received by various awards shows and film festivals, including a remote appearance at last month’s Berlin Film Festival, the Academy has ignored his hopes of making a virtual appearance at the Oscars.

    https://trendingpoliticsnews.com/zelensky-humiliated-after-getting-rejected-from-making-special-appearance-on-the-oscars-for-second-year-in-a-row-mace/?utm_source=bgabriel&utm_medium=twitter

    Liked by 1 person

  4. we have near white out conditions currently…but not from wind this time. we have heavy snow and FOG! hubby put out a fresh corn block this morning and there are several deer vying for a chance to munch on it–the snow is accumulating on them as they stand waiting…

    Liked by 1 person

      1. the only thing i might go out and do it brush off the satellite dish…it is nearly covered and slow as mud…we have a little over 3 inches already and no signs of stopping

        Liked by 1 person

  6. Issue: March 10, 2023
    “Politico’s word blacklist is an insight into language control — How news outlets control messaging.”
    By Cindy Harper
    Posted 10:51 am

    ENTIRE ARTICLE @ ReclaimTheNet: “In January 2022, news outlet Politico issued a style guide for its writers that bans the use of language that could be deemed “offensive.” The style guide, which was recently obtained by The Spectator’s Amber Athey, contains guidelines on language related to racism, transgender issues, and immigration.

    The guide bans the use of gendered words like “man-made,” “mankind,” and “manhunt.” The guide also bans saying that a transgender person “identifies as” a specific gender. It further bans referencing a transgender person as a “biological man/male” or “biological woman/female.” Instead, reporters should use “biological sex” or “biological gender.”

    “Generally, avoid references to a transgender person being born a boy or girl, and opt for phrasing such as ‘identified at birth as boy/girl,’” the guide stated. “A person’s biology does not take precedence over their gender identity, and such oversimplifications can invalidate the person’s current, authentic gender.”

    On the topic of racism, the guide says, “Unlike Black, white should not be capitalized in any instances.” Reporters are also not allowed to use “pro-life” or “pro-choice” outside of quotes. Instead, they should use “anti-abortion,” “abortion rights supporter,” and “abortion rights.”

    They are also instructed to use gender-neutral language like “patients who seek abortion” or “people who seek abortions,” instead of “women who seek abortions” because there may be people who do not identify as female who can get pregnant. Additionally, “late-term abortion” should be replaced by “abortion later in pregnancy.”

    On the issue of illegal immigration, reporters are prohibited from using “illegal alien,” “anchor baby”, “illegal immigrant,” or other derogatory words in reference to illegal immigration at the southern border.

    Also, the situation at the southern border should not be called a “crisis” because “while the sharp increase in the arrival of unaccompanied minors is a problem for border officials, a political challenge for the Biden administration and a dire situation for many migrants who make the journey, it does not fit the dictionary definition of a crisis.”

    Liked by 1 person

  8. NF: They are already using them, locally and internationally, and have been for some time now!

    Issue: March 10, 2023
    “The US Special Operations forces are considering utilizing deepfakes for psy-ops, report alleges. New forms of weapons.”
    By Cindy Harper
    Posted 12:04 pm

    ENTIRE ARTICLE @ ReclaimTheNet: “It could turn into an “arms race” of a whole new kind – deep fakes, as a weapon of war, or at least of a propaganda war, that the US is now openly speaking about deploying. After years of repeated warnings about the abuse of deep fakes and how seriously that can interfere in elections, and produce other reprehensible results to society and democracy – the current US authorities are preparing to start using deepfakes as a tool of disseminating disinformation and/or propaganda campaigns.

    It would seem that for now at least the targets would be other countries, and this type of online propaganda campaigns are slated to be carried out by US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). That’s according to an Intercept report which cites federal procurement documents it has been able to review. The contracting documents that show where SOCOM wants to go are asking for third parties to build solutions that would allow this branch of the security apparatus (known generically as psychological operations – psy-ops) to develop the “deepfaking” capabilities.

    There’s little doubt that going about this so publicly – even at the risk of making the US government sound hypocritical and untrustworthy to foreign partners, given its previous take on this technology and working to produce tools against them – is a part of some future “campaign.” Be that as it may, the Intercept reports about the issue extensively, and notes that this direction raises a number of serious questions: ethics, but also how effective, at this stage, any of it would be.

    SOCOM’s scheme apparently in the making is not only about developing deep fakes technology to launch misinformation and disinformation campaigns – this time, undeniably real ones – but also “hacking internet-connected devices to eavesdrop in order to assess foreign populations’ susceptibility” to that propaganda, the publication writes.

    None other than the Brookings Institution commented on the situation, to say that when it comes to disinformation, “the Pentagon should not be fighting fire with fire.” The US, said the think tank’s Chris Meserole, should “strengthen democracy by building support for shared notions of truth and reality.” But – if those “notions” are deemed to be absent, Meserole seems to suggest, so is the “notion” of true democracy. “If deepfakes are going to be leveraged for targeted military and intelligence operations, then their use needs to be subject to review and oversight,” Meserole said.

    SOCOM, who put all this down for the Intercept to pick up, plans to accept proposals until the end of 2025 – and has no further comment, at this time.”

    Liked by 1 person

    1. wonder if they have been using them with ultra maggot? kea posted a video a couple of days ago. ultra maggot had wrinkles on his forehead–like an old man would–but the area around his mouth was smooth as newborn baby skin…looked off

      Liked by 1 person

  9. whoa, that is morbid…

    BV Conservative
    March 10, 2023 4:14 pm

    For those with a morbid sense of humor, Twitter has an account #IsMitchDeadYet tracking McConnell’s remaining time on earth. It refers to him as “the worst Senator in U.S. history.” It is obscene that someone his age and in his condition is in a position of power. Move aside and let the next generation take over. I see this all the time-octogenarians who won’t retire and open up opportunities for the next generation. These people must have nothing to live for other than work and families who hate them. I have nothing against them per se, but they don’t need to be running anything at that age

    Liked by 1 person

  10. “Mario Arrested For Hate Crime After Leaving Skid Marks On Rainbow Road”
    U.S. · Mar 10, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

    “MUSHROOM KINGDOM — Local Plumber Mario and his brother Luigi were arrested on hate crime charges during a Special Cup Tournament in which they left unsightly skid marks on Rainbow Road.

    “Rainbow Road has long been a proud symbol of our allyship with the LGBTQQIP2SAA+ community,” said a Peach’s Castle spokestoad to reporters. “When Mario screeched his tires, leaving skid marks on that beautiful rainbow-colored road, he left skid marks on the hearts of the entire queer community. No punishment is too great for hate like this.”

    Sources say Bowser has offered the use of a dungeon in Castle Koopa where Mario will be held indefinitely and pelted with hammers and fireballs while awaiting trial. His brother Luigi has been released on bail.

    Mario’s nemesis, Wario, has also weighed in. “I’m deeply disturbed and saddened by this display of hate by Mario and Luigi,” he said in a written statement. “I stand proudly with the queer community as they deal with the devastating emotional damage wrought by this bigot. I’m-a-gonna-WIIIIIN!”

    At publishing time, Rainbow Road had been repaired again, only to be vandalized again by the notoriously transphobic Hammer Bros.”

    Liked by 1 person

  11. “Senate To Now Be Controlled By Whichever Party Has Fewer Senators In Hospital”
    POLITICS · Mar 10, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

    “WASHINGTON, D.C. — With aged senators increasingly absent from sessions to treat their illnesses and injuries, Congress has passed new rules giving control of the Senate to whichever party has fewer people in the hospital.

    “These people are dropping like flies,” said one anonymous staffer on Capitol Hill. “At this point, I think the average age for a senator is around 98 years old. Their decrepit bodies are finally starting to just give out.”

    Sources confirm that over the last few years, the Capitol Building has become a de facto nursing home to hundreds of elderly politicians who overstayed their welcome decades ago. Tourists in D.C. have reported sightings of confused, babbling geriatrics wandering the halls, nurses rushing to and fro along the corridors, and the repulsive smell of full adult diapers filling the air.

    With Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Mitch McConnell both in the hospital, Republicans now have 18 infirmed geriatrics being treated, while Democrats only have 17 — giving full control of the Senate to Democrats.

    At publishing time, control had been given back to Republicans after Senator Mitch McConnell spent a few hours under his heat lamp and fully recovered.”

    Liked by 1 person

  12. “Historians Now Believe Second-Ever Phone Call Was To Ask Alexander Graham Bell About His Car’s Warranty”
    U.S. · Mar 10, 2023 · BabylonBee.com

    “BOSTON, MA — This week, historians from the Graham Society announced that they can now confirm the authenticity of recently-discovered documentation revealing the contents of the inventor’s second-ever completed phone call: an inbound robocall asking him about his car’s extended warranty.

    “What is the meaning of this abomination? What infernal forces have infiltrated my prototype??” Historians shared redacted quotes from Graham’s now-authenticated personal journal recalling the second-ever phone call on his brand-new invention, in which a confused Graham grew frustrated with a robodialer asking him about his car’s extended warranty.

    “What is a car? And why is there a warrant out for me??”

    The gathered scholars have also published their findings of Graham’s recounting the constant harassment he began receiving via phone within the days and weeks after inventing the first-ever working telephone.

    According to their analysis, nearly 90% of the inventor’s inbound phone traffic was hotel scams, fake offers of government grants, and demands for large sums of money delivered in Wal-Mart gift cards as soon as 3 weeks after the only working prototype device was invented.”

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Like

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