Harriet Tubman: Slave, Nurse & Humanitarian

Harriet Tubman is one of the most famous former slaves that lived in the United States in the 1800's. She was born into slavery in 1820 in Dorchester County , Maryland. Over the course of her life she was a slave, spy, nurse, abolitionist and humanitarian, and is considered one of the most fascinating figures in history .

Born as Araminta Ross , she spent her early years as a slave in Maryland. During her time as a slave she had to endure many hardships including several beatings at the hands of her owners, and even suffered a severe head injury when she was struck by a metal object thrown by one of her owners. The head injury caused her many health problems throughout her life including suffering from seizures and severe headaches.

In 1844, while still a slave she married a free man named John Tubman, and changed her name to Harriet Tubman. Even upon marriage due to the slave laws of the time she remained a slave while her husband continued to be free. In 1849, Harriet and some family members who were slaves made their escape from slavery to the freedom of a neighboring county. Unfortunately, this attempt was unsuccessful and Harriet was returned to her owner. Shortly after her return, she attempted another escape, and this time by using the Underground Railroad , she successfully escaped into Pennsylvania.

After her escape she began to enjoy her freedom and began working for herself, and not for others. She saved her money and eventually relocated in Auburn NY, where she purchased a home. This home became a haven for former slaves, with Harriet providing anyone who needed food and shelter, a place to stay. She also made several trips down south as "Conductor" of the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape.

When the Civil War began, Harriet saw this as an opportunity to help the north in the fight to free the slaves. During the War she went to Port Royal, South Carolina to help the Union soldiers. At the camp she offered aid to soldiers and served as a nurse , without the benefit of attending nursing school, by using local plants to create remedies for ailments. In addition she helped soldiers suffering from dysentery and smallpox. When President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Tubman continued her complete support of the fight for freedom. She volunteered to lead scouting parties through the areas surrounding Port Royal to spy on confederate troops. Her work in helping the Union soldiers in the Civil War was considered vital to the success of the war efforts.

After the war concluded, Tubman continued to be active in helping former slaves adapt in this new world. In addition, she also became involved in the suffragist movement to promote the rights of women. The work of Tubman before, during and after the Civil War was a rallying point of the women's movement by showing that women can work with men, and should be treated as equals. Tubman continued to work for equality of all people until her death in 1913.

Harriet Tubman led one of the most difficult and interesting lives in history. The work that she did was instrumental in the abolition of slavery, the civil rights movement and the suffragist movement. She will go down in history as one of the most important people in the 19th century.