Biography of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman, who was born by the name of Araminta Ross, became not only one of the most famous “conductors” on the Underground Railroad, but also became an American icon when it came to slavery. Harriet was a typical African American who was born during the slave era to two slave parents, Harriet and Benjamin Ross. Because both of her parents were slaves at the time, she was automatically born into slavery as well. She decided to take up the name Harriet after her mother, and then later taking her first husband’s last name, Tubman. Although her birth year is not quite known, “Harriet believed she was born in 1825, and testified to this fact on more than one occasion.” (Clinton 2) Growing up as a slave, Harriet Tubman faced plenty of hardships as she dealt with constant violence and abuse. The abuse varied from a few whips in the morning, to getting struck in the head. Despite all the years of suffering she went through, Tubman managed to runaway from slavery up north to Philadelphia to live as a free woman. After learning about the Underground Railroad, she decided to officially ...