 Harriet Tubman (1820-1913) was born into a slave family in Maryland and was hired out as a laborer at the age five. At the age of 15, after helping a runaway slave, Tubman was beaten in the head with a lead weight by an overseer. This severe beating put her in a coma. It took Tubman months to recover and she suffered from blackouts for the rest of her life. Despite this added challenge to her many others, Tubman managed to escape to the North... determined to help her family and others escape slavery as well. As the best known conductor of the "Underground Railroad", Tubman made at least 19 trips to the South between 1850 and 1860, leading around 300 people to freedom.
During the Civil War, Tubman continued to work freeing slaves, and also aided the Union as a nurse, spy, and military leader. After the war, she remained active for such causes as equality in education, women's suffrage (women's right to vote), and care of the sick and elderly.
By never giving up, and by staying true to her own beliefs, dedication, and dreams, Tubman helped herself and others reach freedom despite overwhelming odds and challenges. Harriet Tubman was one Can Do! Person who still helps us see that anything really is possible.
To learn more about Harriet Tubman, visit these web sites:
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