Harriet Tubman

Standing at a mere five feet, Harriet Tubman was an extraordinary figure in American history, known for her courage, resilience, and unwavering commitment to justice. Born into slavery in Maryland around 1822, she escaped to freedom in 1849, making a perilous journey northward. However, Harriet is most renowned for her role as a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to free states and Canada. Over a decade, she completed 13 missions back to the South, guiding around 70 enslaved individuals to freedom, including family members and friends, without losing a single person.

Harriet was also an activist and advocate for abolition and women's suffrage. During the Civil War, she served as a nurse, cook, and spy for the Union Army, and later as the first woman to lead an armed expedition in the war, which resulted in the liberation of over 700 enslaved people.

Her life was marked by deep faith, fierce determination, and a relentless fight for freedom and equality. Even after the Civil War, she continued to work for social justice, including supporting the elderly and advocating for women's rights, until her death in 1913. Harriet Tubman remains an enduring symbol of courage and the relentless pursuit of liberty.