Heroes for Freedom: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland around 1820. Life as a slave was very hard, and Tubman dreamed of freedom. In 1849, she bravely escaped to the North, where slavery was not allowed. But Tubman didn't forget about her family and friends who were still enslaved.

Risking her own freedom, Tubman returned to the South many times. She led other slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad, a secret network of people who helped slaves escape. Because of her bravery and leadership, Tubman became known as "Moses," after the biblical figure who led people to freedom.

During the Civil War, Tubman worked for the Union Army as a spy and nurse. After the war ended and slavery was abolished, she continued to fight for rights of African Americans and women. Tubman's courage and dedication to freedom made her one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad and an American hero.