American Hero

War hero and American hero are just a few terms you can use to describe this prestigious jewel who willingly and courageously led one of the biggest redemption in the United States. We all know the story of Harriet Tubman or to African Americans The Moses of Her People. We all know of the underground railroad, but do we actually know how these paths and secret passages later help the united states. Harriet Tubman led many events and revolts that has shaped and mold the America today. Harriet Tubman was born into slavery around 1820 in Dorchester county, Maryland. (Douglas Jones) Her name was originally Araminta but after marrying her husband John Tubman she changed her first and last name becoming now known as Harriet Tubman. After fear of being sold she decided that it was going to be freedom or death, so she ran away with her brothers following the north star to freedom. After awhile her brothers became afraid and decided to turn around and Harriet reached Philadelphia alone. Here she joined the abolitionist movement. After realizing what she had done Harriet returned for more of her people helping them to freedom. On this nail biting voyage Harriet would drop off the slaves to these people who she came in contact with that were willing to help. These homes where the slaves would be left at were called safe houses. You may wonder how people were brave just like her to follow her and trust that they too would be saved and led to freedom, but it was some who did not believe it could be done and would try to turn around scared that they would be caught. If they were skeptical and asked about returning, it is said that Tubman would use her gun to scare the people and tell them its either freedom or death. Over the course of 10 years, and at great personal risk, Tubman made 19 trips to Maryland and helped 300 people escape to freedom along the Underground Railroad. (Douglas Jones) Her dedication to her people shows why she is the true American hero. It is way more to it then what she did for the U.S her character plays a major role in how she was able to achieve all of these accomplishments she was risky, gave her time (dedication), her selflessness and willingness Is what helped the united states and more importantly the black people in the world today. Her legacy is fading away in history books and history teachers lessons today. But we all known her multiple accomplishments paved the way for many in this day and age. Set aside from the underground railroad, Harriet served as a nurse for soldiers in the civil war for four years, although this is the least of her activities she took place in, it did help progress in the united states. Also, during the civil was she served as a scout, nurse and spy for the U.S. this came in handy for the U.S because she actually used her passages to get supplies to the north for the war while also helping in the war leading the north to victory. Harriet spied for the union and talked ex-slaves into doing the same, sometimes even going into confederate territory to help union soldiers gather information that could win battles. (Allen, pg.12) in 1863, became the first woman in American history to originate and lead a combat unit in an armed assault. (Douglas Jones) the north winning the war did not stop Harriet. She continued to fight for freedom and for womens suffrage. There are many stories that backs up these accusations about Moses. Slaves that traveled with her told her story and lived through her legacy. Harriet did many things to help this country, now women believe they can do such things as Harriet did. She stood up for us men and women, and now our people today are not afraid to speak out on these issues. Her service in the war started the movement for the abolishment of slavery. It is not how much she did it is what she did that allows me to walk around freely around ANY race. McDonough, Yona Zeldis., and Nancy Harrison. Who Was Harriet Tubman? New York: Grosset Dunlap, 2016. Allen, Thomas B., and Carla Bauer. Harriet Tubman, Secret Agent: How Daring Slaves and Free Blacks Spied for the Union during the Civil War. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic, 2009.Sterling, Dorothy. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman. New York, NY: Scholastic, 1991.Weatherford, Carole Boston, and Kadir Nelson. Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Los Angeles: Disney, Jump at the Sun, 2006.