BHM: Harriet Tubman

MARYLAND – The Eastern Shore’s very own Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist who left behind a legacy of freedom and fearlessness.

Tubman was born in Dorchester County in 1822, spending nearly three decades in bondage before escaping the inhumanity of slavery. She repeatedly risked her life as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, leading escaped slaves through a network of safe houses on their journey to freedom. Tubman personally led countless enslaved people to freedom, including her elderly parents, and instructed dozens of others on how to escape on their own.

“I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger,” Tubman said.

In addition to that, during the Civil War, Tubman was a spy, scout, nurse, and cook for the Union Army, and the first woman to lead an armed military operation. In February 2021, Tubman was inducted into the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame. In 2016, the Treasury announced Harriet’s image will replace former President and slaveowner Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. That process has been delayed until 2026, but last year the Biden administration announced it would speed up the process to honor Tubman’s legacy.

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