When the announcement came that Harriet Tubman will be featured on the re-designed $20 bill, I realized how little I remembered about her. I was surprised to that a suggested design showed her posed with a gun:
I didn't associate her with active rebellion, but then I knew or remembered so little. In the discussion of the new bill, Catherine Clinton's biography was mentioned several times, so I added it to my reading list. I was happy to find a copy in the library, and I think I will be adding this to my own shelves.
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland around 1820, in the same section of the state as Frederick Douglass. Like him, she escaped to the north and freedom. But then she returned to the south, over and over again, to bring her family to freedom, and then scores of others, friends and strangers. She made at least one raid a year, working the rest of the time in domestic service and farm work to fund her missions. She was never captured, and she brought her people safely to freedom every single time.
This is what makes Harriet Tubman's accomplishments so remarkable, as she was certainly the lone woman to achieve such a prominent role within the [Underground Railroad]. Also she was one of only a handful of blacks publicly associated with these extensive clandestine operations to shepherd slaves to freedom. Again, she was the lone fugitive to gain such widespread fame. Her unique vantage point - being black, fugitive, and female, yet willing to risk the role of UGRR abductor - is what allowed her to become such a powerful voice against slavery during the years leading up to the Civil War.
When she spoke out against slavery, she was not attacking it in the abstract but had personally known its evils. She risked the horror of re-enslavement with every trip, repeatedly defying the slave power with her rescues and abductions. These risks elevated the significance of her contributions to the UGRR movement.
Catherine Clinton explains that the term "abductor" was used for "the very few who ventured into the South to extract slaves . . . to distinguish them from the vast majority of the conductors, who guided fugitives on very limited segments of their journey."
And the gun? "Tubman even carried a pistol and was prepared to use it, which earned her a reputation for toughness. . . Her fearlessness was legendary."
Now back to the book. Harriet Tubman has just been raising funds to support John Brown's ill-fated raid on Harper's Ferry. And I'm sure she didn't sit on the sidelines during the Civil War either.
A favorite books from childhood was a Harriet Tubman biography called Freedom Train. I was in 4th or 5th grade and remember reading it several times. Her home in Auburn, NY (near her friend Sen. William H. Seward's) is a popular stop on area history tours. I haven't read a biography geared toward adults, but would like to.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I must have read a biography of her when I was younger, but if so I don't remember it. I was just looking at maps of the Auburn area, and noting how close it is to Rochester. I am putting both of those on my list of places to visit. Is that anywhere close to where you live?
DeleteClose enough that I would drive out and meet you... just tell me when :)
DeleteI don't think it will be this year :) I am hoping to buy a house, which would pretty much use up any travel funds. But I'm already thinking about next year. of course I would have to work around your Florida schedule.
DeleteHope you tell more about Harriet and her amazing life. I learned about Tubman in school, but have never read a biography about her. This one sounds good. Thanks for sharing. (And I'm glad you're back.) :)
ReplyDeleteIt's an excellent book, and I would definitely recommend it if you want to read more! And thank you, it feels good to be talking about books again.
DeleteI like the idea of writing about books as and when something strikes you. Frequently, I don't feel like writing a whole review but there is something I just want to talk about.
ReplyDeleteHarriet Tubman is one of those people I feel like I learned about in school but now that I think about her my knowledge seems very limited. Maybe I should remedy that.
It is nice to see you blogging again. I have missed your posts.
I had stacks of books waiting for reviews, and I wanted to be reading more than I wanted to be writing for a while. But I have missed the conversation.
DeleteExcited to hear the news about the $20 bill. But then I realized how little I knew about her. And I already have a book about the Underground Railroad lined up to read.
When I was a tiny girl, my big sister or I said something racist in the library, and as a penalty, my mother made us read a book about Harriet Tubman and write a report on her. So I'm an old-time Harriet Tubman fan. She had narcolepsy! What a baller!
ReplyDeleteAnd the knocking out her diseased teeth with her gun, while on a raid - when it was too dangerous to find a dentist! And starting the old age home for African Americans in Auburn, even as she was aging herself. She is amazing.
DeleteAnd your mother - some A+ parenting there.
Fascinating! I think the level of education I last learned about Harriet Tubman was probably around the fifth grade, so you shared some things I definitely had no idea about. The abductor vs. conductor thing is very interesting. I had no idea about the distinction.
ReplyDeleteMegan, thanks for stopping by. I had never heard the term "abductor" before in connection with the Underground Railroad. I learned so much from this boo - and now I have a book about the UGRR from the library, to learn even more!
DeleteI think blogging about books in progress is perfectly acceptable--often thoughts of the moment, impressions whilst reading are more interesting than post-book thoughtful summations, at least in my 'umble opinion. I don't know much about Harriet Tubman, which I hope to rectify, but what you shared makes her such a wonderful replacement for Jackson.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to give it a try. Writing a review makes me think more about what I just read - but lately, as I close one book and start another, it becomes harder to remember what I wanted to say about the first one!
DeleteI was appalled to read very recently that many people are not familiar with Tubman at all. I got a picture book from the library for a 5 year old niece coming to visit tomorrow - there were several but some were too violent, some too texty, some to pictury. I tried to pick one in the middle and it will be interesting to see if she is interested. I am sure I studied Tubman in elementary school but I was also addicted - and I bet you were too, Lisa, with the Childhood of Famous Americans series. I am sure I read every one and there was certainly one about Tubman, although my favorite was about Amelia Earhart.
ReplyDeleteThis biography mentioned how many books have been written about Tubman, including those for children of all ages. I know I didn't read any of the books for younger children. I was addicted to a series of biographies as well - I don't know the name of it, though I can picture the books so clearly. I never find them in the libraries now, or in the used-bookstores, though I am always on the watch. I'll check if the Childhood books are the ones I remember. My clearest memories of those are Dolley Madison, Robert E. Lee, and Walter Reed, for some reason!
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