Meta description: Harriet Tubman biography covers her birth in Maryland around 1822, her 1849 escape, 13 rescue missions, Civil War service, and her death in 1913. Read 5 phases of her life with dates and sources.
Who Was Harriet Tubman?
Harriet Tubman was an American abolitionist, Underground Railroad conductor, Union Army scout, and women’s suffrage supporter. She is known for escaping slavery in 1849 and guiding about 70 enslaved people to freedom. Other roles include Civil War nurse, spy, and community caretaker in Auburn, New York.
What Are the Key Facts About Harriet Tubman?
The table below lists verified facts about Harriet Tubman. Each row names a category, and each column gives the detail and its context.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Araminta “Minty” Ross |
| Birth year | Around 1822 |
| Birthplace | Dorchester County, Maryland |
| Parents | Harriet “Rit” Green and Benjamin Ross |
| Escape year | 1849 |
| Rescue missions | About 13 |
| Civil War role | Scout, spy, and nurse for the Union Army |
| Death date | March 10, 1913 |
| Death place | Auburn, New York |
When and Where Was Harriet Tubman Born?
Harriet Tubman was born around 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, as Araminta Ross. The National Park Service records her parents as Harriet “Rit” Green and Benjamin Ross. Both were enslaved on the Brodess plantation. She was one of 9 children.
What Injury Shaped Her Early Life?
A head injury in her teenage years caused lifelong seizures and sleep episodes. An overseer threw a heavy metal weight at another enslaved person, and it struck her. Biographer Kate Clifford Larson documents this event in her 2004 book Bound for the Promised Land.
How Did Harriet Tubman Escape Slavery?
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery in 1849 by traveling north on foot to Pennsylvania. She left after fearing sale following the death of her enslaver, Edward Brodess. Her brothers Ben and Henry began the trip with her, but they turned back.
What Name Did She Adopt?
She changed her first name from Araminta to Harriet, after her mother. She took the surname Tubman from her husband, John Tubman, a free Black man she married in 1844.
How Many People Did Harriet Tubman Rescue?
Harriet Tubman rescued about 70 people during about 13 missions to Maryland. The National Park Service reports this figure. She also gave directions to about 70 more people who escaped on their own.
Key facts about her rescue work include:
- The first rescue took place in 1850 and freed her niece Kessiah and Kessiah’s children in Baltimore.
- The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 moved her routes to St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
- Her missions followed routes through Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New York.
What Did Harriet Tubman Do During the Civil War?
Harriet Tubman served the Union Army as a scout, spy, and nurse from 1862 to 1865. Governor John Andrew of Massachusetts sent her to Beaufort, South Carolina. She gathered intelligence from formerly enslaved people and treated sick soldiers.
What Was the Combahee River Raid?
The Combahee River Raid was a Union military operation on June 1 and 2, 1863. Tubman guided Colonel James Montgomery’s troops along the river in South Carolina. The raid freed more than 700 enslaved people.
What Did Harriet Tubman Do After the Civil War?
Harriet Tubman moved to Auburn, New York, and worked in caregiving, activism, and community service. She married Nelson Davis in 1869. She adopted a daughter, Gertie, in 1874.
Her later activities include:
- Supporting the women’s suffrage movement
- Speaking at suffrage meetings with Susan B. Anthony’s circle
- Opening the Home for the Aged in 1896
- Publishing her story with help from Sarah Bradford, author of Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman (1869)
Did Harriet Tubman Receive a Pension?
Congress granted Harriet Tubman a pension of $20 per month in 1899. The pension was based on her husband Nelson Davis’s Civil War service. Her own nursing and scouting service did not qualify her for a full payment.
How Did Harriet Tubman Die?
Harriet Tubman died of pneumonia on March 10, 1913, in Auburn, New York. She was about 91 years old. She is buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn with military honors.
Why Is Harriet Tubman Remembered Today?
Harriet Tubman is recognized for her role in the Underground Railroad and her Civil War service. Federal recognition includes two National Park Service sites:
- Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, established in 2013 in Maryland
- Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, established in 2017 in Auburn, New York
People Also Ask
What was Harriet Tubman’s real name?
Her birth name was Araminta Ross.
Did Harriet Tubman have children?
Harriet Tubman had one adopted daughter, Gertie, and no known biological children.
Why was Harriet Tubman called Moses?
Harriet Tubman was called Moses because she led enslaved people out of bondage, as the biblical Moses led the Israelites.
How old was Harriet Tubman when she died?
Harriet Tubman was about 91 years old when she died.
Did Harriet Tubman free slaves during the Civil War?
Harriet Tubman helped free more than 700 enslaved people during the Combahee River Raid in 1863.
What Are the Key Points of the Harriet Tubman Biography?
The Harriet Tubman biography has 5 main phases. Each phase marks a stage in her life from birth to legacy:
- Early life in Maryland, from around 1822
- Escape to Pennsylvania in 1849
- Rescue missions between 1850 and 1860
- Union Army service between 1862 and 1865
- Activism and caregiving in Auburn until 1913
Sources: National Park Service (Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and Harriet Tubman National Historical Park), Library of Congress, Kate Clifford Larson, Bound for the Promised Land (2004), Catherine Clinton, Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom (2004), Sarah Bradford, Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman (1869).