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Harriet Tubman - The Moses of Her People [Illustrated]
Harriet Tubman was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and Union spy during the U.S. Civil War. After escaping from captivity, she made thirteen missions to rescue over seventy slaves using the network of antislavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. She later helped John Brown recruit men for his raid on Harpers Ferry, and in the post-war era struggled for women's suffrage.Born into slavery in Dorchester County, Maryland, Tubman was beaten and whipped by her various owners as a child. Early in her life, she suffered a traumatic head wound when an irate slave owner threw a heavy metal weight at her, intending to hit another slave. The injury caused disabling seizures, headaches, and powerful visionary and dream activity, and spells of hypersomnia which occurred throughout her entire life. A devout Christian, she ascribed her visions and vivid dreams to premonitions from God.In 1849, Tubman escaped to Philadelphia, then immediately returned to Maryland to rescue her family. Slowly, one group at a time, she brought relatives with her out of the state, and eventually guided dozens of other slaves to freedom. Traveling by night and in extreme secrecy, Tubman (or "Moses", as she was called) "never lost a passenger". Heavy rewards were offered for many of the people she helped bring away, but no one ever knew it was Harriet Tubman who was helping them. When a far-reaching United States Fugitive Slave Law was passed in 1850, she helped guide fugitives further north into Canada, and helped newly-freed slaves find work.
156 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 13, 2006
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2449 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hopkins Bradford
147 books10 followersSarah Hopkins Bradford was an American writer and historian, best known today for her two pioneering biographical books on Harriet Tubman. Most of her work consists of children's literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
June 20, 2014
There should be a National Holiday named for Harriet Tubman.
March 12, 2018
Albeit not a complete biography of Harriet Tubman I would qualify it as a very important one being that it was written during her life by a lady who knew her well and many of those whose lives were affected or came in contact with or contributed a letter to the work. I find it astonishing that Mrs. Tubman managed to accomplish not several but nineteen trips to the south to rescue her people from bondage to freedom in Canada, worked as a spy, nurse and where needed for the Union Army during the Civil War, established a hospital for her people and joined the suffrage movement. A champion of her people she never wavered from her trust in the Lord and the path she felt was ordained to follow led her forward. I acquired this book free from the public domain and I hope others will take advantage of it being made available. This is a more personal look into the life of a amazing woman that any written biography could be. Including interviews in her own voice, songs sung on the way to freedom, the challenges she faced, letters and correspondence with notable people of the time.
June 22, 2020
I simply can add nothing more to a book about American history's most amazing woman. Here, then, are the words of those who knew her best, and interviewed her :
-------
“… I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than you have. Much that you have done would seem improbable to those who do not know you as I know you…” - Frederick Douglass, preface
"I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home, after all, was down in Maryland; because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.”
“She came to Philadelphia, and worked in hotels, in club houses, and afterwards at Cape May. Whenever she had raised money enough to pay expenses, she would make her way back, hide herself, and in various ways give notice to those who were ready to strike for freedom. When her party was made up, they would start always on Saturday night, because advertisements could not be sent out on Sunday, which gave them one day in advance.Then the pursuers would start after them. Advertisements would be posted everywhere. There was one reward of $12,000 offered for the head of the woman who was constantly appearing and enticing away parties of slaves...”
“… She went back and forth 19 times, according to the reckoning of her friends. She remembers that she went 11 times from Canada, but of the other journeys she kept no reckoning.”
“By night she traveled, many times on foot, over mountains, through forests, across rivers… Sometimes members of her party would become exhausted, foot-sore, and bleeding, and declare they could not go on, they must stay where they dropped down, and die; others would think a voluntary return to slavery better… then there was no remedy but force; the revolver carried by this bold and daring pioneer would be pointed at their heads. ’Dead niggers tell no tales’ said Harriet. ‘Go on or die’ and so she compelled them to drag their weary limbs on…"
“After nightfall, the sound of a hymn sung at a distance comes upon the ears of the concealed and famished fugitives in the woods, and they know that their deliverer is at hand. They listen eagerly for the words she sings, for by them they are to be warned of danger, or informed of safety.“
“But after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, she said, ‘I wouldn't trust Uncle Sam wid my people no longer; I brought 'em all clar off to Canada.’ “
“They were taken in by Sam Green, the man who was afterwards sent to State Prison for 10 years for having a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin in his house.”
“The fugitives were on the bottom of the wagons, the bricklayers on the seats, still singing and shouting; and so they passed by the guards, who were entirely unsuspicious of the nature of the load the wagons contained, or of the amount of property thus escaping their hands.”
“… An added reward had been put upon her head, with various threats of the different cruel devices by which she should be tortured and put to death; friends gathered round her, imploring her not to go…"
“... She worked, day after day, till late at night; then she went home to her little cabin, and made about fifty pies, a great quantity of ginger-bread, and two casks of root beer. These she would hire some contraband to sell for her through the camps, and thus she would provide her support for another day; for this woman never received pay or pension…”
“Harriet had acquired quite a reputation for her skill in curing [dysentery] by a medicine which she prepared from roots which grew near the waters which gave the disease. Here she found thousands of sick soldiers and contrabands, and immediately gave up her time and attention to them. At another time, we find her nursing those who were down by hundreds with small-pox and malignant fevers. She had never had these diseases, but she seems to have no more fear of death in one form than another.”
“This fearless woman was often sent into the rebel lines as a spy, and brought back valuable information as to the position of armies…”
“She described a midnight funeral which she attended; for the slaves, never having been allowed to bury their dead in the daytime, continued the custom of night funerals from habit.”
“…She said that God told her to stop, which she did; and then asked Him what she must do. He told her to leave the road, and turn to the left; she… came to a small stream of tide water; there was no boat, no bridge… She was told to go through. It was cold, in the month of March but having confidence in her Guide, she went in; the water came up to her arm-pits… she had soon to wade a second stream…"
"She at one time brought as many as seven or eight, several of whom were women and children.”
“Some 12 months after, she called on me again, and said that God told her I had some money for her… I had, a few days previous, received the net proceeds of 1 pound 10 shillings from Europe for her. To say the least, there was something remarkable in these facts, whether clairvoyance, or the divine impression on her mind from the source of all power, I cannot tell; but certain it was she had a guide within herself…"
“She has often been in Concord, where she resided at the houses of Emerson, Alcott, the Whitneys, the Brooks family, Mrs. Horace Mann, and other well known persons. They all admired and respected her…"
"When these turns of somnolency come upon Harriet, she imagines that her ‘spirit’ leaves her body, and visits other scenes and places, not only in this world, but in the world of spirits. And her ideas of these scenes show, to say the least of it, a vividness of imagination seldom equaled in the soarings of the most cultivated minds.”
“Hon. Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State, would present a petition to Congress for a pension to Harriet Tubman, for services rendered in the Union Army during the late war. I can bear witness to the value of her services in South Carolina and Florida. She was employed in the hospitals and as a spy. She made many a raid inside the enemy's lines, displaying remarkable courage, zeal, and fidelity.”
“Pass the bearer, Harriet Tubman, to Beaufort and back to this place, and wherever she wishes to go; and give her free passage at all times, on all Government transports.”
“Harriet resolved not to be sold, and so, with no knowledge of the North — having only heard of Pennsylvania and New Jersey — she walked away one night alone.”
“… It was not till the fall of 1851 that she found her husband and learned of his infidelity. She did not give way to rage or grief, but collected a party of fugitives and brought them safely to Philadelphia.”
“… She journeyed to Canada, and there spent the winter, for this was after the enforcement of Mason's Fugitive Slave Bill in Philadelphia and Boston, and there was no safety except ’under the paw of the British Lion' as she quaintly said.”
“They earned their bread by chopping wood in the snows of a Canadian forest; they were frost-bitten, hungry, and naked.”
"In the spring she returned to the States, and as usual earned money by working in hotels and families as a cook.”
"Up to this time she had expended chiefly her own money in these expeditions — money which she had earned by hard work in the drudgery of the kitchen.”
“She declares that before her escape from slavery, she used to dream of flying over fields and towns, and rivers and mountains, looking down upon them 'like a bird’ ."
“She says she inherited this power, that her father could always predict the weather, and that he foretold the Mexican War.”
"... She had several interviews with Captain Brown, then in Boston. He is supposed to have communicated his plans to her, and to have been aided by her in obtaining recruits and money among her people. At any rate, he always spoke of her with the greatest respect, and declared that 'General Tubman,' as he styled her, was a better officer than most whom he had seen, and could command an army as successfully as she had led her small parties of fugitives.”
“… She brought away 7 fugitives, one of them an infant, which must be drugged with opium to keep it from crying on the way, and so revealing the hiding place of the party.”
“She asks nothing for herself, except that her wardrobe may be replenished, and even this she will probably share with the first needy person she meets.”
“ ‘Don't you think we colored people are entitled to some credit for that exploit, under the lead of the brave Colonel Montgomery? We weakened the rebels somewhat on the Combahee River, by taking and bringing away 756 head of their most valuable livestock, known up in your region as contrabands, and this, too,without the loss of a single life on our part… Nearly or quite all the able-bodied men have joined the colored regiments here.’ ”
“This woman of whom you have been reading is poor, and partially disabled from her injuries; yet she supports cheerfully and uncomplainingly herself and her old parents, and always has several poor children in her house, who are dependent entirely upon her…"
“On asking Harriet particularly as to the age of her mother, she answered, ‘Well, I'll tell you, Missis. Twenty-three years ago, in Maryland, I paid a lawyer $5 to look up the will of my mother's first master. He went back 65 years, and there he found the will… she was actually emancipated… But no one informed her of the fact…’ "
.
-------
“… I know of no one who has willingly encountered more perils and hardships to serve our enslaved people than you have. Much that you have done would seem improbable to those who do not know you as I know you…” - Frederick Douglass, preface
"I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home, after all, was down in Maryland; because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free.”
“She came to Philadelphia, and worked in hotels, in club houses, and afterwards at Cape May. Whenever she had raised money enough to pay expenses, she would make her way back, hide herself, and in various ways give notice to those who were ready to strike for freedom. When her party was made up, they would start always on Saturday night, because advertisements could not be sent out on Sunday, which gave them one day in advance.Then the pursuers would start after them. Advertisements would be posted everywhere. There was one reward of $12,000 offered for the head of the woman who was constantly appearing and enticing away parties of slaves...”
“… She went back and forth 19 times, according to the reckoning of her friends. She remembers that she went 11 times from Canada, but of the other journeys she kept no reckoning.”
“By night she traveled, many times on foot, over mountains, through forests, across rivers… Sometimes members of her party would become exhausted, foot-sore, and bleeding, and declare they could not go on, they must stay where they dropped down, and die; others would think a voluntary return to slavery better… then there was no remedy but force; the revolver carried by this bold and daring pioneer would be pointed at their heads. ’Dead niggers tell no tales’ said Harriet. ‘Go on or die’ and so she compelled them to drag their weary limbs on…"
“After nightfall, the sound of a hymn sung at a distance comes upon the ears of the concealed and famished fugitives in the woods, and they know that their deliverer is at hand. They listen eagerly for the words she sings, for by them they are to be warned of danger, or informed of safety.“
“But after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, she said, ‘I wouldn't trust Uncle Sam wid my people no longer; I brought 'em all clar off to Canada.’ “
“They were taken in by Sam Green, the man who was afterwards sent to State Prison for 10 years for having a copy of Uncle Tom's Cabin in his house.”
“The fugitives were on the bottom of the wagons, the bricklayers on the seats, still singing and shouting; and so they passed by the guards, who were entirely unsuspicious of the nature of the load the wagons contained, or of the amount of property thus escaping their hands.”
“… An added reward had been put upon her head, with various threats of the different cruel devices by which she should be tortured and put to death; friends gathered round her, imploring her not to go…"
“... She worked, day after day, till late at night; then she went home to her little cabin, and made about fifty pies, a great quantity of ginger-bread, and two casks of root beer. These she would hire some contraband to sell for her through the camps, and thus she would provide her support for another day; for this woman never received pay or pension…”
“Harriet had acquired quite a reputation for her skill in curing [dysentery] by a medicine which she prepared from roots which grew near the waters which gave the disease. Here she found thousands of sick soldiers and contrabands, and immediately gave up her time and attention to them. At another time, we find her nursing those who were down by hundreds with small-pox and malignant fevers. She had never had these diseases, but she seems to have no more fear of death in one form than another.”
“This fearless woman was often sent into the rebel lines as a spy, and brought back valuable information as to the position of armies…”
“She described a midnight funeral which she attended; for the slaves, never having been allowed to bury their dead in the daytime, continued the custom of night funerals from habit.”
“…She said that God told her to stop, which she did; and then asked Him what she must do. He told her to leave the road, and turn to the left; she… came to a small stream of tide water; there was no boat, no bridge… She was told to go through. It was cold, in the month of March but having confidence in her Guide, she went in; the water came up to her arm-pits… she had soon to wade a second stream…"
"She at one time brought as many as seven or eight, several of whom were women and children.”
“Some 12 months after, she called on me again, and said that God told her I had some money for her… I had, a few days previous, received the net proceeds of 1 pound 10 shillings from Europe for her. To say the least, there was something remarkable in these facts, whether clairvoyance, or the divine impression on her mind from the source of all power, I cannot tell; but certain it was she had a guide within herself…"
“She has often been in Concord, where she resided at the houses of Emerson, Alcott, the Whitneys, the Brooks family, Mrs. Horace Mann, and other well known persons. They all admired and respected her…"
"When these turns of somnolency come upon Harriet, she imagines that her ‘spirit’ leaves her body, and visits other scenes and places, not only in this world, but in the world of spirits. And her ideas of these scenes show, to say the least of it, a vividness of imagination seldom equaled in the soarings of the most cultivated minds.”
“Hon. Wm. H. Seward, Secretary of State, would present a petition to Congress for a pension to Harriet Tubman, for services rendered in the Union Army during the late war. I can bear witness to the value of her services in South Carolina and Florida. She was employed in the hospitals and as a spy. She made many a raid inside the enemy's lines, displaying remarkable courage, zeal, and fidelity.”
“Pass the bearer, Harriet Tubman, to Beaufort and back to this place, and wherever she wishes to go; and give her free passage at all times, on all Government transports.”
“Harriet resolved not to be sold, and so, with no knowledge of the North — having only heard of Pennsylvania and New Jersey — she walked away one night alone.”
“… It was not till the fall of 1851 that she found her husband and learned of his infidelity. She did not give way to rage or grief, but collected a party of fugitives and brought them safely to Philadelphia.”
“… She journeyed to Canada, and there spent the winter, for this was after the enforcement of Mason's Fugitive Slave Bill in Philadelphia and Boston, and there was no safety except ’under the paw of the British Lion' as she quaintly said.”
“They earned their bread by chopping wood in the snows of a Canadian forest; they were frost-bitten, hungry, and naked.”
"In the spring she returned to the States, and as usual earned money by working in hotels and families as a cook.”
"Up to this time she had expended chiefly her own money in these expeditions — money which she had earned by hard work in the drudgery of the kitchen.”
“She declares that before her escape from slavery, she used to dream of flying over fields and towns, and rivers and mountains, looking down upon them 'like a bird’ ."
“She says she inherited this power, that her father could always predict the weather, and that he foretold the Mexican War.”
"... She had several interviews with Captain Brown, then in Boston. He is supposed to have communicated his plans to her, and to have been aided by her in obtaining recruits and money among her people. At any rate, he always spoke of her with the greatest respect, and declared that 'General Tubman,' as he styled her, was a better officer than most whom he had seen, and could command an army as successfully as she had led her small parties of fugitives.”
“… She brought away 7 fugitives, one of them an infant, which must be drugged with opium to keep it from crying on the way, and so revealing the hiding place of the party.”
“She asks nothing for herself, except that her wardrobe may be replenished, and even this she will probably share with the first needy person she meets.”
“ ‘Don't you think we colored people are entitled to some credit for that exploit, under the lead of the brave Colonel Montgomery? We weakened the rebels somewhat on the Combahee River, by taking and bringing away 756 head of their most valuable livestock, known up in your region as contrabands, and this, too,without the loss of a single life on our part… Nearly or quite all the able-bodied men have joined the colored regiments here.’ ”
“This woman of whom you have been reading is poor, and partially disabled from her injuries; yet she supports cheerfully and uncomplainingly herself and her old parents, and always has several poor children in her house, who are dependent entirely upon her…"
“On asking Harriet particularly as to the age of her mother, she answered, ‘Well, I'll tell you, Missis. Twenty-three years ago, in Maryland, I paid a lawyer $5 to look up the will of my mother's first master. He went back 65 years, and there he found the will… she was actually emancipated… But no one informed her of the fact…’ "
.
May 22, 2020
Read in honor of the centenniel of the US Women's Suffrage. In The Woman's Hour: The Great Fight to Win the Vote, Elaine F. Weiss points out that women's professional work experience made possible their work of getting the vote. Black and white women did the work. Some/many black women also exercised the right to vote with the passage of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution--even when and where black men could not votel Weiss speaks of abolitionist as being a group of professionals who helped made possible the passage of the 19th. In cooperating with and in contributing to this book, Tubman was an abolitionist.
In this short narrative, the readers can discern something of slave experience and much of who Harriet Tubman the remover of slaves to freedom, the philanthropist, and Civil War activist. Although Sarah Hopkins Bradford regrets that she did not write as fine historical document as she would have wished, she has written a succinct one covering many aspects. As I read I had the distinct impression of an abolitionist convention which would include narratives along with identifications and commendations.
In this short narrative, the readers can discern something of slave experience and much of who Harriet Tubman the remover of slaves to freedom, the philanthropist, and Civil War activist. Although Sarah Hopkins Bradford regrets that she did not write as fine historical document as she would have wished, she has written a succinct one covering many aspects. As I read I had the distinct impression of an abolitionist convention which would include narratives along with identifications and commendations.
June 20, 2013
This is a biography written during the life of Harriet Tubman and updated with a second edition describing more of her life. Written with wonder and awe about this courageous heroine of the Civil War and beyond to Woman sufrage. Filled with actual photos and letters written to her and about her. A real gem of literature.
October 30, 2025
I was a little confused at first when I started reading this book for school because usually what I’m assigned is more of a fantasy(ish) story book. Because of that, I was a little bit resentful towards reading a biography, but a few days into actually reading it, I loved it. I have never read a biography before that had me researching more about the person and the events in their life outside of the biography. I love Harriet Tubman and she is such an inspiration. I loved reading about her and her strong faith in God, which is surely what made her such a successful person.
Sombody else’s comment said that there should be a national holiday for Harriet Tubman, and I have looked it up and it seems like there is one on March 10th.
Sombody else’s comment said that there should be a national holiday for Harriet Tubman, and I have looked it up and it seems like there is one on March 10th.
May 30, 2013
I liked this book but was hard to follow and seemed to jump around. I would have liked to have read about how she helped slaves escape.
July 15, 2020
Araminta "Minty" Ross, known by her married name Tubman, with her Christian sounding name changed to Harriet. Harriet was a remarkable woman guided by God to escape her own slavery and then turn around and help what some to believe is hundreds of other slaves escape to freedom. She used what we know as to be the Underground Railroad. She served as an armed scout and spy during the American Civil War and was a huge activist in the struggle for women's suffrage. The author wrote two biographical books on Harriet. These books were written using extensive interviews with Harriet and others who supported Harriet's cause. Harriet and Ms. Bradford ended up becoming dear friends. Ms. Bradford requested letters of support from many in the Civil War who also raved about the devotion, tirelessness, and bravery of Harriet. Ms. Bradford was one of the first Caucasian writers to deal with African-American topics.
The depiction of Harriet Tubman in the newly released (2019) movie "Harriet" seemed to follow Ms. Bradford's work well. I feel it provides an astonishing historical background to the life and times of Harriet Tubman. It was a fabulous moves, done extremely well, and I highly recommend it.
The depiction of Harriet Tubman in the newly released (2019) movie "Harriet" seemed to follow Ms. Bradford's work well. I feel it provides an astonishing historical background to the life and times of Harriet Tubman. It was a fabulous moves, done extremely well, and I highly recommend it.
February 14, 2019
Mixed Feelings
I got the book for free on Kindle and wanted to read the story of Ms. Tubman, after reading Sojourner Truths story. Overall I was annoyed that the story was written by a White woman who seemed to have good intentions, but at times referred to Blacks as "darkies" and Ms. Tubman's father as an " African Savage", SMH. America has treated African Americans so poorly, denied our history and experiences, but want to be the ones to tell our story through their privilege. I'm going to purchase another book on Harriet Tubmans life that gives more details on her personal upbringing, and how she developed and maneuvered through the Underground Railroad. I was honored to read her words in this book, as Ms. Tubman was an extraordinary woman and human being, who literally did the impossible. She makes me proud to be a Black woman.
I got the book for free on Kindle and wanted to read the story of Ms. Tubman, after reading Sojourner Truths story. Overall I was annoyed that the story was written by a White woman who seemed to have good intentions, but at times referred to Blacks as "darkies" and Ms. Tubman's father as an " African Savage", SMH. America has treated African Americans so poorly, denied our history and experiences, but want to be the ones to tell our story through their privilege. I'm going to purchase another book on Harriet Tubmans life that gives more details on her personal upbringing, and how she developed and maneuvered through the Underground Railroad. I was honored to read her words in this book, as Ms. Tubman was an extraordinary woman and human being, who literally did the impossible. She makes me proud to be a Black woman.
February 5, 2020
I loved learning more about Harriet Tubman, especially through people who actually knew her but the book was very disjointed and poorly put together and worst of all, the author was quite patronizing in her attitude towards Harriet. She admires Harriet of course, but still the way she describes her is how one might describe a favorite pet or beloved child. I KNOW that is more likely due to the time period in which Bradford lived rather than her own personality and I try to always read a book with the setting in mind but it was too troubling to overlook this time. So five stars for Harriet and her courage, her faith, her goodness, and strength of character and one star for the government who never paid her for her years of war work and three stars for the author who tried to help Harriet but wasn’t a great writer and was super patronizing.
January 29, 2015
A powerful story about an absolutely amazing woman.
August 8, 2020
My exposure to Harriet Tubman has been limited to references in history books. I don't think I've ever read a book specifically about her. I was leery of modern biographies, so I chose this short public-domain book that was written while Harriet was still alive by someone who personally knew her. The book was originally written and later updated in order to raise money to supply Harriet's needs in her old age. The book's style and language is typical of the era, which probably means it's being burned somewhere in this crazy summer of 2020. But it's definitely worth reading. Harriet's accomplishments were amazing, but the overriding theme is her incredible faith, trust, and reliance on the Lord's guidance and protection and her insistence that everything she achieved was because He made it happen. I don't remember any references to that in the history books of my 1960's - 1970's youth.
June 15, 2021
A short read that but packs alot of information. It if definitely has inspired me too research more on the amazing life of this beautiful soul. Reading th I s help me to understand that although she was in horrid condition she still chose to aid. Those individuals that were in need.
Read
May 11, 2021Sarah Bradford wrote two biographies of Tubman, with this being the latter. Because Tubman could not read or write, she tasked Bradford with sharing her story, and is quoted in the text, which was published within her lifetime. This is the closest we have to Tubman's actual words, HOWEVER it has inaccuracies and is responsible for misinformation that was repeated in future works.
Bradford's texts popularized a number of misconceptions about Tubman and the Underground Railroad such as the inaccurate number of a supposed 19 trips rescuing 300 people (in fact it was likely closer to 13 trips and 70 people), Tubman's birth year, and the fabrication of a $40k reward for her capture. Do not take it as strictly fact, but it is an important part of the literary heritage of Tubman, and source of some information in later works.
I do recommend reading if you are trying to have a comprehensive understanding of Tubman, if you enjoy reading primary sources, or if you're writing an essay, but for the casual reader there are modern biographies that are much better. No star rating, as I recognize it's historical value, but take issue with enough aspects to not really want to give a blanket rating sans caveats.
Content Warnings:
Uncensored use of the N-word (depending on edition). As this is a (basically) first hand account of Harriet Tubman's experience living in slavery, and includes related content such as violence and racism. She also describes the racism endured outside of her time in enslavement. Harriet also suffered from a severe head injury and lifelong epilepsy-like experiences afterwords, and some related ablesim is depicted.
Bradford's texts popularized a number of misconceptions about Tubman and the Underground Railroad such as the inaccurate number of a supposed 19 trips rescuing 300 people (in fact it was likely closer to 13 trips and 70 people), Tubman's birth year, and the fabrication of a $40k reward for her capture. Do not take it as strictly fact, but it is an important part of the literary heritage of Tubman, and source of some information in later works.
I do recommend reading if you are trying to have a comprehensive understanding of Tubman, if you enjoy reading primary sources, or if you're writing an essay, but for the casual reader there are modern biographies that are much better. No star rating, as I recognize it's historical value, but take issue with enough aspects to not really want to give a blanket rating sans caveats.
Content Warnings:
Uncensored use of the N-word (depending on edition). As this is a (basically) first hand account of Harriet Tubman's experience living in slavery, and includes related content such as violence and racism. She also describes the racism endured outside of her time in enslavement. Harriet also suffered from a severe head injury and lifelong epilepsy-like experiences afterwords, and some related ablesim is depicted.
February 3, 2016
For many years I have driven through Auburn, NY on my way to our nearby summer cottage, and have several times driven past the William Seward house and seen the Harriet Tubman house close by. Having read much about Seward, and visited his house, I always wanted to know more details about Tubman, beyond her role in the Underground Railroad. This book, written in 1886, opened my eyes to what an extraordinary woman she was. Not only did she free large numbers of slaves (the book claims over 300, although that may be exaggerated), she led them first to the free states and later to Canada when the Fugitive Slave Law was passed. She helped John Brown recruit volunteers for his raid on Harpers Ferry. During the Civil War she served in the Union Army in the South, both as a nurse and as a spy, and actually led a raid to free slaves. And after the war she settled in Auburn, in the house she purchased from William Seward, and helped the poor and needy. Towards the end of her life (she died in 1913) she worked for woman's suffrage. All these accomplishments were done by a woman who couldn't read or right, and who suffered a ghastly head injury as a child that led to her having sleeping fits throughout her life, and who was always dirt poor. If it hasn't been done already, her story would make a great movie. The book is very short (about 130 pages) because very little of Harriet's life was written down, both because of her illiteracy and because the secrets of the Underground Railroad were not to be publicized. I found this to be a very moving book.
May 13, 2012
See more of my reviews at Bettering Me Up.
I got this book for free on Amazon and was excited to read it. I did a book report on Harriet Tubman when I was in fifth grade, and I've admired her ever since.
This book, however, focused more on her religion than her acts of daring and bravery. At one point, the author explicitly skipped over years of Tubman's life after slavery by saying that those were hard years and needn't be discussed. That was a shame, since I was interested in those years!
I gave up on the book a third of the way through.
I got this book for free on Amazon and was excited to read it. I did a book report on Harriet Tubman when I was in fifth grade, and I've admired her ever since.
This book, however, focused more on her religion than her acts of daring and bravery. At one point, the author explicitly skipped over years of Tubman's life after slavery by saying that those were hard years and needn't be discussed. That was a shame, since I was interested in those years!
I gave up on the book a third of the way through.
May 25, 2013
"Farewell, ole Marster, don't think hard of me,
I'm going on to Canada, where all de slave are free."
What a remarkable woman! I need to find a better biography, however, one that is written more chronologically and in more detail about her experiences. Just as the author gets Harriet safe into the North, she lapses into generalities, and I have no idea who helped her or how she established herself there. This book does describe several of Harriet's rescues--she personally led about 300 men, women, and children to safety. She had a remarkable faith in God and was blessed in remarkable ways. Truly an American hero.
I'm going on to Canada, where all de slave are free."
What a remarkable woman! I need to find a better biography, however, one that is written more chronologically and in more detail about her experiences. Just as the author gets Harriet safe into the North, she lapses into generalities, and I have no idea who helped her or how she established herself there. This book does describe several of Harriet's rescues--she personally led about 300 men, women, and children to safety. She had a remarkable faith in God and was blessed in remarkable ways. Truly an American hero.
January 10, 2014
I love history and this is a great book about an AWESOME women who did great things. I know she is well known for bringing slaves out of the south to safety of Canada away from slave masters that didn't care about anyone. To me Harriet Tubman was a true angel.
The only thing I didn't enjoy about this ebook was there was no chapters. It is only 76 pages per Amazon.com but I like to stop at the end of a chapter but there was never a chapter. That is why I gave it 3 stars.
If you enjoy history you need to give this book a try.
The only thing I didn't enjoy about this ebook was there was no chapters. It is only 76 pages per Amazon.com but I like to stop at the end of a chapter but there was never a chapter. That is why I gave it 3 stars.
If you enjoy history you need to give this book a try.
March 27, 2017
Because Harriet Tubman was illiterate, this book is the closest we shall come to having an autobiography of her. The quality of the writing is indifferent; the book reads more like a long magazine article than a biography. Tubman's zeal and courage are evident in these pages, but the lack of reflection on the conflicts and choices she faced makes the book more hagiography than biography. Of course, some subjects of hagiography really are saints, and if there be such a concept within the realm of liberators, Tubman is surely one.
April 24, 2016
I read the first edition from google books. This book raises many questions and does not answer all the questions I wanted to know about Harriet Tubman, but I found this story compelling. I enjoy biographies from days gone by by people who actually knew the subject, which is the case here. There is some disorder in the account, but it is filled with precious gems of the life and passion of this dear woman.
August 7, 2017
A very remarkable woman.
I'm so glad I read this Biography. Harriet Tubman was a true servant. Not only to people of color but all of humanity. A devout follower of Jesus and reflecting his love and compassion to all.
I'm so glad I read this Biography. Harriet Tubman was a true servant. Not only to people of color but all of humanity. A devout follower of Jesus and reflecting his love and compassion to all.
July 31, 2015
The five stars are for Harriet Tubman who is a legend. The book gets less stars because of it's patronizing tone. Harriet Tubman should be on all denominations of American money. All of them.
March 27, 2016
This. Lady. Was. Born. To. Be. A. Leader. That. And. So. Much. More. Thanks. Miss. Tubman. Doris.
October 12, 2024
An educational and intriguing look at the life of Harriet Tubman and her family, displaying her continuous faith in the lord to guide her, her passion to move forward and help others during and after slavery, and to show the constant struggle from law and people due to her work, however also show the support she gained.
September 27, 2020
After watching the movie Harriet, I was embarrassed not to know more about this incredible woman. This little book seemed a good place to start as Harriet cooperated with the author. The style and writing are, of course, a bit dated, but the story—and Harriet’s faith in God—are compelling.
April 25, 2023
Harriett Tubman was a complete badass. She led an amazing life and rarely thought about herself. She is a perfect example of living a life of service to others.
November 13, 2020
I think Harriet Tubman was called of God by reading this book. We all have heard of Harriet Tubman but few of us know what she actually did and how she changed our country. She is an amazing example of living by pure faith. Everything she did was through intuition and she always had faith that the Lord would provide. It inspires me to read about a simple soul who couldn't read or write be an instrument the hands of the Lord.
February 16, 2020
“Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People” is a biography written while Mrs. Tubman was still alive. The author indicates it is a second edition written to raise funds for a negro hospital in Auburn, New York, which she stated was Mrs. Tubman’s last great work. This book bounces around and is primarily a collection of short anecdotes, letters, and even some written passes permitting her access during the Civil War.
You would think the book might focus heavily on Mrs. Tubman’s experiences with the “Underground Railroad”, especially since she publically laid claim to being a conductor. At one meeting she stated, "I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can't say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger." There are letters and stories that cover her liberation raids into the South, but the book does not go into detail. Along with these are a few scenes going back to her childhood when she was a slave, her involvement and wonder at the abolitionist John Brown, her involvement in the Civil War as a spy and nurse, and some events after the war. Given all of those activities, the author didn’t spend much time on any one area, but two things were prominent throughout, and this is Mrs. Tubman’s humility and trust in God. There are numerous references throughout the book that showed her dependence on God such as “‘Oh, dear Lord’, [she] said. I haven’t got no friend but you. Come to my help Lord, for I’m in trouble! Oh, Lord! You’ve been with me in six troubles, don’t desert me in the seventh!”
Many of the stories seem like they belong more to folklore than actual events, especially when she claims to have foreseen events and natural disasters and would seem to just fall into money and provisions when she needed them – of course, she would say that was God’s will at work to provide for her. Even if a quarter of the stories are true, Harriet Tubman was a remarkable woman who was truly a Moses of her people. Despite her lack of education and being born into slavers, she used her leadership skills and trust in God to help save her literal family, as well as, many other slaves.
You would think the book might focus heavily on Mrs. Tubman’s experiences with the “Underground Railroad”, especially since she publically laid claim to being a conductor. At one meeting she stated, "I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can't say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger." There are letters and stories that cover her liberation raids into the South, but the book does not go into detail. Along with these are a few scenes going back to her childhood when she was a slave, her involvement and wonder at the abolitionist John Brown, her involvement in the Civil War as a spy and nurse, and some events after the war. Given all of those activities, the author didn’t spend much time on any one area, but two things were prominent throughout, and this is Mrs. Tubman’s humility and trust in God. There are numerous references throughout the book that showed her dependence on God such as “‘Oh, dear Lord’, [she] said. I haven’t got no friend but you. Come to my help Lord, for I’m in trouble! Oh, Lord! You’ve been with me in six troubles, don’t desert me in the seventh!”
Many of the stories seem like they belong more to folklore than actual events, especially when she claims to have foreseen events and natural disasters and would seem to just fall into money and provisions when she needed them – of course, she would say that was God’s will at work to provide for her. Even if a quarter of the stories are true, Harriet Tubman was a remarkable woman who was truly a Moses of her people. Despite her lack of education and being born into slavers, she used her leadership skills and trust in God to help save her literal family, as well as, many other slaves.
August 24, 2016
This was one very courageous Christian woman. The book was originally published in 1884 is good during her lifetime. It is not a long book, but the impact is significant. The book reflects the sentiments of the abolitionist while she lived. Her views of herself are quite modest Harriet's life was a very spiritual one. That faith runs from her childhood to old age. Her unshakeable faith is God speaks loud and clear. She believed in freedom and was driven by her need to contribute to the freedom of others. I was surprised to read of her significant head/brain injury at a very young age.
Harriet’s courage and strong Christian faith coupled with her willingness to sacrifice and not caring where the credit went is most admirable. Her totally focused determination coupled with her love of others(which is supposed to be a core part of the Christian life) caused me to pause and reflect on myself in those areas. She comes across as a better living Christian than I.
I recommend for anyone(irrespective of age) doing t he roles she played in the Underground Railroad. She also was a nurse during the war, and in my view was a soldier for the north and yes, she spied for the federals. The people who admired her and her efforts reached very high into the government and society. She was greatly admired, but remained very modest right to the end. She was never really compensated for her totally dedication to the cause.
Harriet’s courage and strong Christian faith coupled with her willingness to sacrifice and not caring where the credit went is most admirable. Her totally focused determination coupled with her love of others(which is supposed to be a core part of the Christian life) caused me to pause and reflect on myself in those areas. She comes across as a better living Christian than I.
I recommend for anyone(irrespective of age) doing t he roles she played in the Underground Railroad. She also was a nurse during the war, and in my view was a soldier for the north and yes, she spied for the federals. The people who admired her and her efforts reached very high into the government and society. She was greatly admired, but remained very modest right to the end. She was never really compensated for her totally dedication to the cause.
April 21, 2016
p.29 And so without money, and without friends, she started on through unknown regions.
p.103 For the slaves, never having been allowed to bury their dead in the day-time, continued the custom of night funerals from habit.
Plenty of fresh historical information within this strangely assembled text. A letter by Frederick Douglass about Harriet Tubman is an interesting, random inclusion in the text (134-5). Harriet's exploits are covered in detail from her early life to position in later life. The abuse endured while in slavery is instructive. The author presents a horrifying story about Harriet's head wound. However, there is also a good amount of intriguing information about the iconic runaway slave. Mrs. Tubman serve as a nurse during the Civil War. Going beyond helping the wounded Harriet Tubman also crossed Rebel lines to spy on the Confederate Army.
The text is a striking sign of the times. There are any number of provocative incidents for the modern reader. Standing out among the items is the consistent appeal within the text for financial assistance for Mrs. Tubman. Of course, some of the language and descriptions are a stark reminder of social attitudes in the era. Social markers and explanations pile up to am impressive level.
p.103 For the slaves, never having been allowed to bury their dead in the day-time, continued the custom of night funerals from habit.
Plenty of fresh historical information within this strangely assembled text. A letter by Frederick Douglass about Harriet Tubman is an interesting, random inclusion in the text (134-5). Harriet's exploits are covered in detail from her early life to position in later life. The abuse endured while in slavery is instructive. The author presents a horrifying story about Harriet's head wound. However, there is also a good amount of intriguing information about the iconic runaway slave. Mrs. Tubman serve as a nurse during the Civil War. Going beyond helping the wounded Harriet Tubman also crossed Rebel lines to spy on the Confederate Army.
The text is a striking sign of the times. There are any number of provocative incidents for the modern reader. Standing out among the items is the consistent appeal within the text for financial assistance for Mrs. Tubman. Of course, some of the language and descriptions are a stark reminder of social attitudes in the era. Social markers and explanations pile up to am impressive level.
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