Tubman, Harriet - Timeline Biography
Time Period
1820 - 1913
Description
Harriet Tubman, born Araminta Ross, was a Maryland slave who escaped to Philadelphia in 1849. She became an instrumental leader in the Underground Railroad as well as a prominent Union spy and abolitionist. Traveling back and forth between the North and the South, she led more than 300 slaves to freedom during approximately 20 trips. None of the slaves she helped were ever captured. Slave owners offered a $40,000 reward for her capture, but she eluded all attempts.
Religion played a large role in Tubman’s life. She strongly affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and prayed often for herself and others who were fighting the evils of slavery. She stated that God guided her actions with the Underground Railroad by divine dreams. Through her efforts, she became known as the "Moses of her people." After the war, she became an ardent women’s rights activist.
Religion played a large role in Tubman’s life. She strongly affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and prayed often for herself and others who were fighting the evils of slavery. She stated that God guided her actions with the Underground Railroad by divine dreams. Through her efforts, she became known as the "Moses of her people." After the war, she became an ardent women’s rights activist.
Interactive Timeline(s)
Browse Related Timeline Entries
Religious Groups
Methodist/Pietist Family: Other ARDA LinksMethodist/Pietist Family: Religious Family Tree
Related Dictionary Terms
African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME)Photographs
Harriet Tubman portrait- Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-7816
Harriet Tubman portrait- Internet Archive- from Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman by Sarah H. Bradford
Harriet Tubman portrait- National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
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Harriet Tubman statue- Flickr- photo by Eriksen Family (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
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Harriet Tubman memorial- Flickr- photo by Preservation Maryland (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Book/Journal Source(s)
Benowitz, June Melby, 1998. Encyclopedia of American Women and Religion Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, Inc..Murphy, Larry, J. Gordon Melton, and Gary Ward, 1993. Encyclopedia of African American Religions New York: Garland.
Web Page Contributor
Benjamin T. GurrentzAffliated with: Pennsylvania State University, Ph.D. in Sociology
