The Underground Railroad

THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD, A PROUD MOMENT IN THE STRUGGLE FOR HUMAN RIAGHTS, WAS CREATED BY ENSLAVES AFRICANS WHO PASSIONATELY DESIRED FREEDOM AND RISKED THEIR LIVES TO ATTAIN IT.  ALONG THE WAY, ENSLAVED AFRICANS WERE AIDED BY FREED BLACKS WHO KNEW SLAVERY WOULD NEVER END WITHOUT A FIGHT. JOINING FORCES I THIS HEROIC EFFORT TO HELP THE FUGITIVES WERE MANY PEOPLE BLACK AND WHITE, ORDINARY AND EXTRAORDINARY, WHO LIVED IN FEAR OF BEING PUNISHED FOR THEIR ACTIONS, BUT ACTED ON THEIR CONVICTIONS. THESE BRAVE PEOPLE GUIDED RUNAWAYS THROUGH AN INFORMATION SYSTEM OF SECRET TRAILS AND HIDING PLACES TO LOCATIONS OR SAFE HAVEN FOR ENSLAVED AFRICANS.

HARRIET ROSS TUBMAN (1820-1913)

 BORN A SLAVE IN MARYLAND, CONDUCTOR OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. WENT TO WORK AS A UNION SCOUT AND SPY, SLIPPED BEHIND REBEL LINES TO GATHER NEWS FROM SLAVES ABOUT CONFEDERATE PLANS. LED REBEL SCOUTS ON RECONNAISSANCE MISSIONS, SERVED TO NURSE THE WOUNDED AT FORT MONROE. SPOKE OUT ON WOMENS RIGHTS, RECEIVED MEDAL FROM QUEEN VICTORIA OF ENGLAND, AND RECEIVED MANY HONORS AND AWARDS, SPENT LAST YEARS IN POVERTY.

BEGAN RECEIVING $20 A MONTH PENSION 30 YEARS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR. JOHN TUBMAN, FIRST HUSBAND, DIED 2 YEARS AFTER THE WAR, 1869 SHE MARRIED NELSON DAVIS. TUBMAN USED THE MONEY FROM HER PERSION TO FOUND A PLACE FOR THE AGED AND NEEDY. SHE DIED IN ABUURN, NEW YORK.