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She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman
In the bestselling tradition of The Notorious RBG comes a lively, informative, and illustrated tribute to one of the most exceptional women in American history—Harriet Tubman—a heroine whose fearlessness and activism still resonates today.
Harriet Tubman is best known as one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. As a leading abolitionist, her bravery and selflessness has inspired generations in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Now, National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before.
Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the Civil War, worked as a spy for the Union Army, was a fierce suffragist, and was an advocate for the aged. She Came to Slay reveals the many complexities and varied accomplishments of one of our nation’s true heroes and offers an accessible and modern interpretation of Tubman’s life that is both informative and engaging.
Filled with rare outtakes of commentary, an expansive timeline of Tubman’s life, photos (both new and those in public domain), commissioned illustrations, and sections including “Harriet By the Numbers” (number of times she went back down south, approximately how many people she rescued, the bounty on her head) and “Harriet’s Homies” (those who supported her over the years), She Came to Slay is a stunning and powerful mix of pop culture and scholarship and proves that Harriet Tubman is well deserving of her permanent place in our nation’s history.
Harriet Tubman is best known as one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. As a leading abolitionist, her bravery and selflessness has inspired generations in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Now, National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before.
Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds of slaves, she was the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the Civil War, worked as a spy for the Union Army, was a fierce suffragist, and was an advocate for the aged. She Came to Slay reveals the many complexities and varied accomplishments of one of our nation’s true heroes and offers an accessible and modern interpretation of Tubman’s life that is both informative and engaging.
Filled with rare outtakes of commentary, an expansive timeline of Tubman’s life, photos (both new and those in public domain), commissioned illustrations, and sections including “Harriet By the Numbers” (number of times she went back down south, approximately how many people she rescued, the bounty on her head) and “Harriet’s Homies” (those who supported her over the years), She Came to Slay is a stunning and powerful mix of pop culture and scholarship and proves that Harriet Tubman is well deserving of her permanent place in our nation’s history.
164 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 5, 2019
231 people are currently reading
6772 people want to read
About the author
Erica Armstrong Dunbar
14 books170 followersErica Armstrong Dunbar is the Charles and Mary Beard Professor of History at Rutgers University. She also served as director of the Program in African American History at the Library Company of Philadelphia.
Dunbar attended college at the University of Pennsylvania, then earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University.
Dunbar attended college at the University of Pennsylvania, then earned an M.A. and Ph.D. from Columbia University.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 575 reviews
December 1, 2019
3.5 Harriet Tubman. All I remember learning about this remarkable woman, in my high school history class, was her work in the Underground railroad. She did so very much more, quite astonishing in that time, well really her accomplishments would even now be considered astonishing. I'm not going to give chapter and verse on all the things she did do, you can read the book or even look her up on WIkI.
This book itself, is a rather slim volume, less than 200 pages, is told in a simple and clear manner. Definitely a YA crossover, and I do wish I would have gotten a better look at the interior Harriet.
One thing I was surprised about, among many, was that the Emancipation Proclamation only freed the slaves in the Southern States, those that seceeded, but was still legal in the North. This caused Tubman to take the slaves she rescued all the way to Canada. Slavery in totality wouldn't be abolished until ratification of the thirteenth amendment, which didn't happen until four months before wars end. Of course, it was only on paper, slavery in some form of another went on in all it's injustices for many years after that.
A truly amazing human being, the world could use more of her ilk, even now or maybe especially now.
This book itself, is a rather slim volume, less than 200 pages, is told in a simple and clear manner. Definitely a YA crossover, and I do wish I would have gotten a better look at the interior Harriet.
One thing I was surprised about, among many, was that the Emancipation Proclamation only freed the slaves in the Southern States, those that seceeded, but was still legal in the North. This caused Tubman to take the slaves she rescued all the way to Canada. Slavery in totality wouldn't be abolished until ratification of the thirteenth amendment, which didn't happen until four months before wars end. Of course, it was only on paper, slavery in some form of another went on in all it's injustices for many years after that.
A truly amazing human being, the world could use more of her ilk, even now or maybe especially now.
February 15, 2020
This was told in an informal almost historical fiction style. The chapter titles are pop reference style which is fun, dynamic and relatable.
This was not overly long or extra wordy and I liked the way the biography was laid out. I feel starting with her grandmother was an important part of understanding Harriet.
I really enjoyed this and think it would be perfect for high school and up.
Probably even middle grades as the visual aids and such might be engaging.
The author makes a true effort to use modern language and concepts to make the story relatable for readers who don't often read this genre.
I read this author's book on Ona Judge and it was written in a more formal educational and less conversational style.
I enjoyed both takes myself.
I am surprised at the negative reviews which seem to indicate others did not like this style of biography.
I'm extremely familiar with this time period and this authors 'assumptions' are based in historically known facts about this period, place and class if not this specific individual. Of course we don't know exactly what Modesty felt upon being stolen from her home and traumatically transported to what is now Maryland. We do, however, have biographies written by Enslaved West Africans who survived being stolen and the Middle Passage. This is important to the story of who Harriet Tubman was and the author is correct to include it.
It's always clear what's surmised from period specific research. Because the records for this particular individual are scanty much of the setting is simply surmised using factual period specific knowledge.
Many noted historians do this, David Starkey and Robert K Massie come immediately to mind. They are both professors like this author, I think. Well, at least one of them is. The records for the time periods Starkey & Massie covered that I read aren't scanty, this is just their style. Almost conversational and slightly gossipy in tone, Starkey has included complete conversation scripts 'surmised' from court records, diaries, letters, etc.
I think it bothers readers because there's this 'notion' in academia that Black people in general, the descendants of Enslaved West Africans in particular, are too dramatic about chattel slavery. Many books on this subject, in fact most in print, are written by white historians from their often unintended slavery apologist point of view.
If that's all you've ever been exposed to this must feel jarring and uncomfortable. That's due to ignorance on the readers part in some cases.
It's also 100% valid not to enjoy this style biography as long as you keep that same energy for regular whitewashed history.
If you are unfamiliar with some of the information about chattel slavery in the US these are a few of the books I've read which is how I know the basic research the author is using to give depth and a bit of humanity to the Enslaved characters is validly based on historical facts.
Most of these I've completely read a few I've so far just read sections not cover to cover.
I offer this as my own basis of knowledge as the author has provided an extensive detailed bibliography as well as an extensive suggested reading section.
Stamped from the beginning by Kendi X Ibram
American Slave Coast by Ned & Constance Sublette
An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America & Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves by Henry Wiencek
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed
Forging Freedom by Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
The Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufman- gives an idea of early chattel slavery of West Africans in Europe both before and after Columbus.
The Slave Narratives-haven't read them all yet but I've read multiple anthologies of them.
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers- haven't read but this is based on the latest research as far as white women and slavery.
This was not overly long or extra wordy and I liked the way the biography was laid out. I feel starting with her grandmother was an important part of understanding Harriet.
I really enjoyed this and think it would be perfect for high school and up.
Probably even middle grades as the visual aids and such might be engaging.
The author makes a true effort to use modern language and concepts to make the story relatable for readers who don't often read this genre.
I read this author's book on Ona Judge and it was written in a more formal educational and less conversational style.
I enjoyed both takes myself.
I am surprised at the negative reviews which seem to indicate others did not like this style of biography.
I'm extremely familiar with this time period and this authors 'assumptions' are based in historically known facts about this period, place and class if not this specific individual. Of course we don't know exactly what Modesty felt upon being stolen from her home and traumatically transported to what is now Maryland. We do, however, have biographies written by Enslaved West Africans who survived being stolen and the Middle Passage. This is important to the story of who Harriet Tubman was and the author is correct to include it.
It's always clear what's surmised from period specific research. Because the records for this particular individual are scanty much of the setting is simply surmised using factual period specific knowledge.
Many noted historians do this, David Starkey and Robert K Massie come immediately to mind. They are both professors like this author, I think. Well, at least one of them is. The records for the time periods Starkey & Massie covered that I read aren't scanty, this is just their style. Almost conversational and slightly gossipy in tone, Starkey has included complete conversation scripts 'surmised' from court records, diaries, letters, etc.
I think it bothers readers because there's this 'notion' in academia that Black people in general, the descendants of Enslaved West Africans in particular, are too dramatic about chattel slavery. Many books on this subject, in fact most in print, are written by white historians from their often unintended slavery apologist point of view.
If that's all you've ever been exposed to this must feel jarring and uncomfortable. That's due to ignorance on the readers part in some cases.
It's also 100% valid not to enjoy this style biography as long as you keep that same energy for regular whitewashed history.
If you are unfamiliar with some of the information about chattel slavery in the US these are a few of the books I've read which is how I know the basic research the author is using to give depth and a bit of humanity to the Enslaved characters is validly based on historical facts.
Most of these I've completely read a few I've so far just read sections not cover to cover.
I offer this as my own basis of knowledge as the author has provided an extensive detailed bibliography as well as an extensive suggested reading section.
Stamped from the beginning by Kendi X Ibram
American Slave Coast by Ned & Constance Sublette
An Imperfect God: George Washington, His Slaves, and the Creation of America & Master of the Mountain: Thomas Jefferson and His Slaves by Henry Wiencek
The Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon Reed
Forging Freedom by Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
The Black Tudors by Miranda Kaufman- gives an idea of early chattel slavery of West Africans in Europe both before and after Columbus.
The Slave Narratives-haven't read them all yet but I've read multiple anthologies of them.
They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers- haven't read but this is based on the latest research as far as white women and slavery.
August 16, 2022
The First of Many Biographies…
Preamble:
--In order to answer the social questions that haunt me, I try to make a bee-line for political economy/ecology and end up with a perpetual pile of exhausting tomes. Add a recent data analysis class that was taught in the opposite way (abstract mathematical) than what I find intuitive/compelling (social application: I Think You'll Find It's a Bit More Complicated Than That), and you find me rather deflated with the lack of reading progress…
--So, I needed lighter reads that still made me feel like I was chipping away at my priorities. Most might turn to fiction; I have a few favourite novels I revisit, but if I wanted escapism I’d just stop reading and do something else.
--My current solution is biographies (and some fiction) of/by diverse radical figures who often have legendary nonfiction works that I’m behind on. Biographies have the benefit of hindsight vs. autobiographies (ex. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention vs. The Autobiography of Malcolm X), although both serve the purpose here.
…Besides Tubman, I somehow ended up with a new pile to review, including:
i) Frederick Douglass: whom else to pair with Tubman?
ii) Ernesto Che Guevara: The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey only scratches the surface compared to his later letters.
iii) W.E.B. Du Bois: pioneering social researcher; once again, I only had a glimpse (Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil) of Du Bois’ transformation from domestic reformist to internationalist communist, thus turning to Bill V. Mullen for an overview.
iv) Frantz Fanon: another anti-imperialist legend, where I could use some context to help with the psychoanalysis components.
v) Claudia Jones: I still need to finish Mohanty's Feminism without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity, having only read the lead essay Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses, so Jones is a great addition to this.
vi) Audre Lorde: following up Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches with Lorde’s “biomythography”…
vii) Bhagat Singh: I recently revisited Malm’s How to Blow Up a Pipeline critique of Extinction Rebellion’s messy claim that only nonviolence has been proven successful in historical struggles. Having read Arundhati Roy’s critique of Western-romanticized Gandhi, it was time to explore Singh.
viii) Aleksandra Kollontai: this biography is framed as “The Lonely Struggle of the Woman Who Defied Lenin”, but as usual I’m sure narcissism of small differences is hiding much to synthesize. Also interested in reading Kollontai's fiction.
My approach to history:
--Shallow mainstream history is written as names and dates, thus (a) great men and (b) episodic events. This is unacceptable when we consider:
a) Radical/critical lens: getting to the roots and not merely accepting convenient top-down perspectives from the conquerors (ex. “Great man theory”). The alternative here is to center the many conveniently-censored perspectives of the masses, i.e. “a people’s history” approach, popularized by Zinn’s A People's History of the United States. Synthesizing critical biographies can be a component of this.
b) Systems-thinking: episodic events are the surface noise of deeper structural processes: see the technical (i.e. more on the physical sciences) primer Thinking in Systems: A Primer.
…This can be critically applied to history (social sciences), with particular appreciation of the interactions between materialism (physical conditions) and idealism (human social conceptions). World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction is a useful guide, and here are some favourite applications:
-The Global Minotaur: America, the True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy
-Capital and Imperialism: Theory, History, and the Present
-The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World
-Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1
-Late Victorian Holocausts: El Niño Famines and the Making of the Third World
Highlights:
--Well, this short book has all the strengths and weaknesses of being accessible. The target audience includes what I call “default liberals”, i.e. “apolitical”, thus adopting the assumptions of the default status quo (liberalism, i.e. capitalist economy with relatively cosmopolitan sociopolitical surface appearance).
--The author does indeed captivate this audience (and beyond; I'm not trying to be dismissive here as this is an important service), but this really should not be difficult with someone who has to be one of the most bad-ass historical figures you can write about. Then again, mainstream history textbooks never fail in spamming readers with names and dates, burying the structural lessons and visceral social struggles.
…The author avoids textbook tedium with a free-flowing narrative style, although I have to roll my eyes when the default-liberalism churns out phrases like “boss lady” (“entrepreneur” and “philanthropist” were aspects of Tubman the author felt are underappreciated). Of course, I know where the author is coming from, but when I hear “stay classy” I reply with “stay classless”.
--Actions are plentiful in this event-driven narrative. However, I’m always interested in the next step of combatting the colonizing bias that Vijay Prashad highlights, where the Global North/colonizing instititutions come up with all the theories, whereas the Global South/colonized are only good for survival stories/guerilla manuals. How do we reconstruct the depth of how Tubman diagnosed the world around her? This is why I paired this with Douglass’ autobiographical analyses. For more Vijay: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS...
Preamble:
--In order to answer the social questions that haunt me, I try to make a bee-line for political economy/ecology and end up with a perpetual pile of exhausting tomes. Add a recent data analysis class that was taught in the opposite way (abstract mathematical) than what I find intuitive/compelling (social application: I Think You'll Find It's a Bit More Complicated Than That), and you find me rather deflated with the lack of reading progress…
--So, I needed lighter reads that still made me feel like I was chipping away at my priorities. Most might turn to fiction; I have a few favourite novels I revisit, but if I wanted escapism I’d just stop reading and do something else.
--My current solution is biographies (and some fiction) of/by diverse radical figures who often have legendary nonfiction works that I’m behind on. Biographies have the benefit of hindsight vs. autobiographies (ex. Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention vs. The Autobiography of Malcolm X), although both serve the purpose here.
…Besides Tubman, I somehow ended up with a new pile to review, including:
i) Frederick Douglass: whom else to pair with Tubman?
ii) Ernesto Che Guevara: The Motorcycle Diaries: Notes on a Latin American Journey only scratches the surface compared to his later letters.
iii) W.E.B. Du Bois: pioneering social researcher; once again, I only had a glimpse (Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil) of Du Bois’ transformation from domestic reformist to internationalist communist, thus turning to Bill V. Mullen for an overview.
iv) Frantz Fanon: another anti-imperialist legend, where I could use some context to help with the psychoanalysis components.
v) Claudia Jones: I still need to finish Mohanty's Feminism without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practicing Solidarity, having only read the lead essay Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses, so Jones is a great addition to this.
vi) Audre Lorde: following up Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches with Lorde’s “biomythography”…
vii) Bhagat Singh: I recently revisited Malm’s How to Blow Up a Pipeline critique of Extinction Rebellion’s messy claim that only nonviolence has been proven successful in historical struggles. Having read Arundhati Roy’s critique of Western-romanticized Gandhi, it was time to explore Singh.
viii) Aleksandra Kollontai: this biography is framed as “The Lonely Struggle of the Woman Who Defied Lenin”, but as usual I’m sure narcissism of small differences is hiding much to synthesize. Also interested in reading Kollontai's fiction.
My approach to history:
--Shallow mainstream history is written as names and dates, thus (a) great men and (b) episodic events. This is unacceptable when we consider:
a) Radical/critical lens: getting to the roots and not merely accepting convenient top-down perspectives from the conquerors (ex. “Great man theory”). The alternative here is to center the many conveniently-censored perspectives of the masses, i.e. “a people’s history” approach, popularized by Zinn’s A People's History of the United States. Synthesizing critical biographies can be a component of this.
b) Systems-thinking: episodic events are the surface noise of deeper structural processes: see the technical (i.e. more on the physical sciences) primer Thinking in Systems: A Primer.
…This can be critically applied to history (social sciences), with particular appreciation of the interactions between materialism (physical conditions) and idealism (human social conceptions). World-Systems Analysis: An Introduction is a useful guide, and here are some favourite applications:
-The Global Minotaur: America, the True Origins of the Financial Crisis and the Future of the World Economy
-Capital and Imperialism: Theory, History, and the Present
-The Darker Nations: A People's History of the Third World
-Capital: A Critique of Political Economy, Volume 1
-Late Victorian Holocausts: El Niño Famines and the Making of the Third World
Highlights:
--Well, this short book has all the strengths and weaknesses of being accessible. The target audience includes what I call “default liberals”, i.e. “apolitical”, thus adopting the assumptions of the default status quo (liberalism, i.e. capitalist economy with relatively cosmopolitan sociopolitical surface appearance).
--The author does indeed captivate this audience (and beyond; I'm not trying to be dismissive here as this is an important service), but this really should not be difficult with someone who has to be one of the most bad-ass historical figures you can write about. Then again, mainstream history textbooks never fail in spamming readers with names and dates, burying the structural lessons and visceral social struggles.
…The author avoids textbook tedium with a free-flowing narrative style, although I have to roll my eyes when the default-liberalism churns out phrases like “boss lady” (“entrepreneur” and “philanthropist” were aspects of Tubman the author felt are underappreciated). Of course, I know where the author is coming from, but when I hear “stay classy” I reply with “stay classless”.
--Actions are plentiful in this event-driven narrative. However, I’m always interested in the next step of combatting the colonizing bias that Vijay Prashad highlights, where the Global North/colonizing instititutions come up with all the theories, whereas the Global South/colonized are only good for survival stories/guerilla manuals. How do we reconstruct the depth of how Tubman diagnosed the world around her? This is why I paired this with Douglass’ autobiographical analyses. For more Vijay: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLS...
December 21, 2020
3.5 stars - This is one of those books that entices you to learn more! I learned so much about Harriet Tubman's life that I feel like I should have already known, but this definitely stoked my interest to learn more about her life & impact.
April 1, 2020
I started reading this book minutes after I finished watching the film Harriet. This book is a good introduction to Tubman and I was happy to read about aspects of her life that the film did not cover.
December 18, 2019
Yes Araminta!!! Wonderful I need moreeeeeee!!!!
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 19, 2020
A riveting biography of Harriet Tubman, former enslaved person, fearless conductor on the Underground Railroad, and mighty advocate for former enslaved peoples' rights.
I'll be honest, before listening to The History Chicks' episode on Tubman, I paid very little attention to her beyond grumpy old lady who did a lot of things during the Civil War. I stupidly slid right on past her remarkable life and her courage.
Because an escaped slave returning—time after time after time—to slave states to rescue her family and friends from slavery? Through the danger of detection, the nail-biting fear that any person—whether those left behind, those you took or those you took shelter with—could reveal your presence to slave-catchers. And not just that, but maneuvering through deadly terrain in the dark, often with children? And doing it all with constant, debilitating headaches that could make you pass out at any time? Fuck no.
While I could do without the pop-sensationalism in the book that tried to be irreverent and didn't quite succeed, I did like listening to the story of Tubman's life, from her life as Minty, a young girl who was hired out from her horrible owner to really awful White people, to her later years married to a free Black man to her escape to her later work as a very successful conductor in the Underground Railroad (seriously, this part was so scary) to her time as a nurse/spy during the Civil War (her skills were critically underused until the end of the war) to her later years.
This is definitely well worth the read, as not only does it cover Harriet's life, but highlights the hellish conditions in which Black people were forced to work, and the ways they were bound. They were kept in bondage not only through physical threats and actual bonds, but through familial ties. And it shows that surviving—no matter what—is success in its own, bleak way.
Anywho, it's a quick listen that was nonetheless informative even if the bouncy tone of the section titles didn't quite match the section's grimmer contents? Not sure if that made sense, but that's what it felt like to me.
3.5 stars
I'll be honest, before listening to The History Chicks' episode on Tubman, I paid very little attention to her beyond grumpy old lady who did a lot of things during the Civil War. I stupidly slid right on past her remarkable life and her courage.
Because an escaped slave returning—time after time after time—to slave states to rescue her family and friends from slavery? Through the danger of detection, the nail-biting fear that any person—whether those left behind, those you took or those you took shelter with—could reveal your presence to slave-catchers. And not just that, but maneuvering through deadly terrain in the dark, often with children? And doing it all with constant, debilitating headaches that could make you pass out at any time? Fuck no.
While I could do without the pop-sensationalism in the book that tried to be irreverent and didn't quite succeed, I did like listening to the story of Tubman's life, from her life as Minty, a young girl who was hired out from her horrible owner to really awful White people, to her later years married to a free Black man to her escape to her later work as a very successful conductor in the Underground Railroad (seriously, this part was so scary) to her time as a nurse/spy during the Civil War (her skills were critically underused until the end of the war) to her later years.
This is definitely well worth the read, as not only does it cover Harriet's life, but highlights the hellish conditions in which Black people were forced to work, and the ways they were bound. They were kept in bondage not only through physical threats and actual bonds, but through familial ties. And it shows that surviving—no matter what—is success in its own, bleak way.
Anywho, it's a quick listen that was nonetheless informative even if the bouncy tone of the section titles didn't quite match the section's grimmer contents? Not sure if that made sense, but that's what it felt like to me.
3.5 stars
November 14, 2019
The content of this book was good. It's great to have a very easy to read book that tells a more holistic story of an incredibly important woman in US history.
What was disappointing was the writing style. The book is meant to be accessible to non-academics but that doesn't mean that it has to be staccato. It read like an academic trying to dumb down a story, rather than like a book written for a general audience. By far the most well written passages are direct quotations of Harriet Tubman. In addition, there is a lot to it that feels kitschy and trendy and will date this book very quickly (including the title).
What was disappointing was the writing style. The book is meant to be accessible to non-academics but that doesn't mean that it has to be staccato. It read like an academic trying to dumb down a story, rather than like a book written for a general audience. By far the most well written passages are direct quotations of Harriet Tubman. In addition, there is a lot to it that feels kitschy and trendy and will date this book very quickly (including the title).
December 6, 2019
Such a remarkable fighter!
May 29, 2021
Harriet Tubman is such a strong and fascinating women. There is so much about her life that I never knew and feel should be taught more of in schools. Such as the fact that she was a spy for the Union army and led an armed raid destroying Confederate supplies and freeing more than 700 enslaved people. The style and layout of this book makes it an easy read for adults and also teens.
Popsugar Challenge 2021 - A book with a family tree
Popsugar Challenge 2021 - A book with a family tree
maybe-later
February 9, 2021I'm certainly going to pick this book up,
But I'm not in the right mindset, rn...
And there are so many triggers in this book,
I have completed 30% of the book.
And honestly, I wasn't able to keep track of the times I cried,
It was phenomenal how this author wrote this.
But you know what Harriet Tubman was going through,
And her way of overcoming obstacles is inspiring.
I stopped at the point where the slave hunters were looking for her.
I just couldn't bring myself to see her suffer from it.
So I'm going to pick it up when I'm ready.
TW/CW
Mention of rape(off-page), child abuse, slavery, losing a family member to slavery, torture, use of the n-word, cheating (off-page), slave auction, starvation, child death, and many more
But I'm not in the right mindset, rn...
And there are so many triggers in this book,
I have completed 30% of the book.
And honestly, I wasn't able to keep track of the times I cried,
It was phenomenal how this author wrote this.
But you know what Harriet Tubman was going through,
And her way of overcoming obstacles is inspiring.
I stopped at the point where the slave hunters were looking for her.
I just couldn't bring myself to see her suffer from it.
So I'm going to pick it up when I'm ready.
TW/CW
Mention of rape(off-page), child abuse, slavery, losing a family member to slavery, torture, use of the n-word, cheating (off-page), slave auction, starvation, child death, and many more
February 22, 2020
An amazing biography of an amazing woman. She Came to Slay is aptly titled, as Harriet Tubman was an activist throughout her long life.
She fought slavery by escaping and then returning again and again to free other slaves. She raised her own funds for each trip by working in the North and by touring amongst northern abolitionists with the likes of Frederick Douglass to speak out against slavery.
She literally fought in the Civil War, sailing up the Combahee River and razing Confederate territory. She was an unpaid Union nurse and cook. She was a spy adept at gathering information. She foraged for food and herbs for medicines that she would use to treat Union soldiers without pay. She knew that winning the war was how she could help free all the slaves.
She opened her home in Albany to emancipated people and worked to feed and assimilate them to free society. She became an activist, a suffragist, an advocate for women.
And every damn step of the way she had to fight. Suffragists and abolitionists fought against giving black men the vote before white women, segregation took hold, and she couldn't get her veterans money for decades even though she had "friends" of elevated and important station. Bless this woman and her fiery personality and her patience for the long game because whatever she set out to do, she eventually got done.
This book was great and I learned so much more about Harriet Tubman in these few hours than I even knew there was to know all those years I sat in the classroom. She is truly a woman our children should be learning about, and this is the book they should be reading. She was not a meek little thing, but a fierce and virtuous hero who fought long and fought hard. She came to slay.
She fought slavery by escaping and then returning again and again to free other slaves. She raised her own funds for each trip by working in the North and by touring amongst northern abolitionists with the likes of Frederick Douglass to speak out against slavery.
"I had reasoned this out of my mind; there was one of two things I had the right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other."
She literally fought in the Civil War, sailing up the Combahee River and razing Confederate territory. She was an unpaid Union nurse and cook. She was a spy adept at gathering information. She foraged for food and herbs for medicines that she would use to treat Union soldiers without pay. She knew that winning the war was how she could help free all the slaves.
She opened her home in Albany to emancipated people and worked to feed and assimilate them to free society. She became an activist, a suffragist, an advocate for women.
And every damn step of the way she had to fight. Suffragists and abolitionists fought against giving black men the vote before white women, segregation took hold, and she couldn't get her veterans money for decades even though she had "friends" of elevated and important station. Bless this woman and her fiery personality and her patience for the long game because whatever she set out to do, she eventually got done.
This book was great and I learned so much more about Harriet Tubman in these few hours than I even knew there was to know all those years I sat in the classroom. She is truly a woman our children should be learning about, and this is the book they should be reading. She was not a meek little thing, but a fierce and virtuous hero who fought long and fought hard. She came to slay.
April 4, 2020
The woman herself Harriet Tubman deserves 5 super shiny stars for her courage and contributions to women's suffrage and of course for helping people escape the horrors of slavery. A deadly civil war was fought over the right to free people in bondage and it nearly destroyed this country. Today we sit in our comfortable homes thanks to the sacrifices made by courageous woman like Harriet Tubman and I dont think we recognize her enough.
About the book itself, it is hard to be critical of this short direct little book about the life of a heroine. This author stays true to the historical record as she relates Harriet Tubman's life from her grandparents enslavement in probably Ghana or Sierra Leone to Harriet's death.
About the book itself, it is hard to be critical of this short direct little book about the life of a heroine. This author stays true to the historical record as she relates Harriet Tubman's life from her grandparents enslavement in probably Ghana or Sierra Leone to Harriet's death.
December 1, 2021
School taught me that Harriet Tubman was a brave hero that freed hundreds of enslaved people through the network known as the Underground Railroad. That’s all true and yet, I knew nothing else about her life and how she came to be such a badass.
She Came to Slay is a wonderful biography that offers insight into Tubman’s childhood, marriages, abolitionist leadership, suffragist work, and her time as a Union spy during the Civil War. This was an informative read about a fascinating woman and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
She Came to Slay is a wonderful biography that offers insight into Tubman’s childhood, marriages, abolitionist leadership, suffragist work, and her time as a Union spy during the Civil War. This was an informative read about a fascinating woman and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in American history!
For more reviews, visit www.rootsandreads.wordpress.com
April 6, 2022
Inspiring, eye-opening, and informative. I'm glad to have learned more about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.
February 16, 2020
16/02/2020
4.5 stars
During my schoolyears, I never learned anything about the Civil-war or the underground railroad. I don't know why, but I know that a lot of people in Europe (I'm from Belgium) never really learn anything about it in highschool. A couple of years ago I saw something about the civil-war, and decided to look up what the hell that was all about. That's how I stumbled upon the stories revolving around the underground railroad, and Harriet Tubman. So here I am, learning more and more about all the incredible people risking their lives to save their brothers and sisters, or saving slaves that escaped.
Harriet Tubman was an amazing woman, that accomplished so much in her life. I have nothing but respect for her, the more I learn about her. I will say that I didn't always enjoy the writing style, it felt a bit monotone at times. Listening to the book made it easier to ignore that.
4.5 stars
During my schoolyears, I never learned anything about the Civil-war or the underground railroad. I don't know why, but I know that a lot of people in Europe (I'm from Belgium) never really learn anything about it in highschool. A couple of years ago I saw something about the civil-war, and decided to look up what the hell that was all about. That's how I stumbled upon the stories revolving around the underground railroad, and Harriet Tubman. So here I am, learning more and more about all the incredible people risking their lives to save their brothers and sisters, or saving slaves that escaped.
Harriet Tubman was an amazing woman, that accomplished so much in her life. I have nothing but respect for her, the more I learn about her. I will say that I didn't always enjoy the writing style, it felt a bit monotone at times. Listening to the book made it easier to ignore that.
February 19, 2020
I have always believed that I don't need the pretext of Black History Month to read about African American history. Yet if I have the opportunity to do it during that month, I always take it.
I learned a number of things about Harriet Tubman that I hadn't known previously from this book.
I knew that Harriet had visions, but not that she had epilepsy due to a brain injury that occurred while she was a slave. Some think that epilepsy invalidates religious visions. I believe that divine power can use epilepsy as a conduit of visions.
I wasn't aware of the full extent of Harriet's Civil War service particularly not the Combahee River Raid in which she liberated 750 slaves. There's a book in Dunbar's bibliography about it called The Combahee River Raid: Harriet Tubman & Lowcountry Liberation by Jeff Grigg for those who want to know more about it. It isn't available to me in libraries, but there is also a novel dealing with The Combahee River Raid called The Tubman Command that is more widely available.
I consider this book a valuable supplement to the recent movie about Harriet Tubman's life.
I learned a number of things about Harriet Tubman that I hadn't known previously from this book.
I knew that Harriet had visions, but not that she had epilepsy due to a brain injury that occurred while she was a slave. Some think that epilepsy invalidates religious visions. I believe that divine power can use epilepsy as a conduit of visions.
I wasn't aware of the full extent of Harriet's Civil War service particularly not the Combahee River Raid in which she liberated 750 slaves. There's a book in Dunbar's bibliography about it called The Combahee River Raid: Harriet Tubman & Lowcountry Liberation by Jeff Grigg for those who want to know more about it. It isn't available to me in libraries, but there is also a novel dealing with The Combahee River Raid called The Tubman Command that is more widely available.
I consider this book a valuable supplement to the recent movie about Harriet Tubman's life.
February 14, 2021
My big takeaway from reading this is that we, Black folks, need to write our stories down. It's shameful that I'm just now learning the scope of Harriett Tubman's accomplishments. My history classes were woefully incomplete. She was a military leader and hero, an entrepreneur, an activist - not just an abolitionist, she also fought for women's suffrage, women's right's, and civil rights for Black folks post-slavery. She was a mother, daughter, aunt, community leader. She lived a LONG life and it's a shame that her accomplishments are reduced to one thing.
This short, illuminating, accessible volume includes photos, drawing, and infographics. You can read it one sitting. I learned a lot but because it's so short I found it lacking in depth. I don't know if it's was because of the lack of historical records or if the author intended it to be short. There's a suggested reading list at the end if you're inclined to do more research.
Keep a journal! Write down your elders stories!
This short, illuminating, accessible volume includes photos, drawing, and infographics. You can read it one sitting. I learned a lot but because it's so short I found it lacking in depth. I don't know if it's was because of the lack of historical records or if the author intended it to be short. There's a suggested reading list at the end if you're inclined to do more research.
Keep a journal! Write down your elders stories!
July 26, 2023
***4 Stars***
***Listened to the Audiobook***
May 29, 2021
Great biography and very inspiring. Like most American kids, I learned about Harriet Tubman in elementary school, but only very (criminally) briefly. Our curriculum spent so much time and emphasis on the (white) (male) founding fathers in comparison. We never got into what Harriet did later in life at all. I think She Came to Slay is a great starting point for anyone looking to find out more.
I listened to the audiobook, but I wish I had been able to look at the pictures that come with the regular book. I didn't even check if there were any additional materials included before I returned it to the library. Oops.
I listened to the audiobook, but I wish I had been able to look at the pictures that come with the regular book. I didn't even check if there were any additional materials included before I returned it to the library. Oops.
May 27, 2020
A very accessible read about the life of Harriet Tubman. Very informative and content-rich, presented in a very engaging way.
June 16, 2020
This book is a great look into the life of Harriet Tubman, I learned a lot of details about her that I didn't know before. What an incredible woman, put her on the $20 bill!
The audio book is under 4 hours so if you want learn a powerful story kind of quickly this is a good choice.
The audio book is under 4 hours so if you want learn a powerful story kind of quickly this is a good choice.
November 27, 2019
There's good information in this book and Harriet Tubman is a worthy subject. Unfortunately, I thought I'd give this five stars, but had too many issues with the writing and the way it's laid out. Too often the author supposes Tubman's thoughts and feelings ("she must have felt" "she must have thought"). When comparing it to Notorious RBG (which the back of the book does), it's hard to suppose what RBG felt and thought when she is still alive to answer questions. I wanted to like this more.
November 26, 2022
For such a short read, Dunbar managed to pack a lot information into this book. Shamefully, I didn't know anything about Tubman's life, other than as her status as a "conductor" of the Underground Railroad. Her life was full of low blows and high triumphs. Her contribution to the Civil War efforts were never recognized in the manner in which she deserved. This was a well written biography that is suitable to adults and children too.
February 12, 2020
Biographies of historical figures tend to be dry and boring. The title of this book had me hoping it would bring a more modern storytelling style which could bring some life to her story. It started off describing one of Tubman's more badass moments, but quickly turned into a standard history book. It was fine. I was just hoping for more.
December 13, 2019
Put 👏 this 👏 woman 👏 on 👏 the 👏 $20 👏 bill 👏 already. Fascinating story of one of the most brave, important, badass women in history.
February 7, 2020
So good! Ugh our ancestors have endored so much just for the freedoms we have today and every day still seems like such a battle at times. What a remarkable life she lived!
July 18, 2020
I love this author. She writes historical figures in a way that makes their lives so accessible. You feel a part of their story when you journey through her books.
June 5, 2020
Tubman...should have been on the twenty dollar bill yesterday. The work that Dunbar has put into this text honors Harriet Tubman so well, combining graphics and an accessibly written history of the life she lived. I am humbled by her legacy. I will be learning from her fiery, fearless, sincere, humble leadership for a long time. This quote sums it up well:
Frederick Douglass said of her, “The difference between us is very marked. Most that I have done and suffered in the service of our cause has been public, and I have received much encouragement at every step of the way. You, on the other hand, have labored in a private way. I have wrought in the day—you in the night. I have had the applause of the crowd and the satisfaction that comes of being approved by the multitude, while the most that you have done has been witnessed by a few, trembling, scarred, and foot-sore bondmen and women whom you have led out of the house of bondage, and whose heartfelt “God bless you” has been your reward. The midnight sky and the silent stars have been the witnesses of your devotion to freedom and of your heroism.”
Frederick Douglass said of her, “The difference between us is very marked. Most that I have done and suffered in the service of our cause has been public, and I have received much encouragement at every step of the way. You, on the other hand, have labored in a private way. I have wrought in the day—you in the night. I have had the applause of the crowd and the satisfaction that comes of being approved by the multitude, while the most that you have done has been witnessed by a few, trembling, scarred, and foot-sore bondmen and women whom you have led out of the house of bondage, and whose heartfelt “God bless you” has been your reward. The midnight sky and the silent stars have been the witnesses of your devotion to freedom and of your heroism.”
February 21, 2021
I’m glad I finally read this, I learned a lot more about Harriet Tubman! I’ve never been a big history buff, but this book helped me realize my gateway to better retaining historical info is probably to focus on individual experience (specifically those of women, BIPOC folks, and/or queer people). The book has some awesome visual aspects and the audio was super well done, I recommend both formats!
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