Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People

First published in 1886, “Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People” is the fascinating biography of Harriet Tubman by American author and historian Sarah H. Bradford. The second of Bradford’s works on the life of the courageous former slave and abolitionist, Tubman herself worked closely with the author to ensure that the details of her amazing life were captured accurately. Bradford’s biography begins with Tubman’s birth into slavery in Maryland in 1822 and her brutal life before she escaped to Philadelphia in 1849. She returned to Maryland and rescued members of her family and many more slaves on the Underground Railroad. Deeply devout and spiritual, Tubman was given the name Moses by those she helped on the way to freedom and was famous for never losing one of her charges. She played an important role in the 1859 raid on Harper’s Ferry and worked as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army during the Civil War, a remarkable assignment for a woman of color at that time. After her retirement, Tubman remained an important political activist and fought hard for women’s suffrage and civil rights. “Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People” endures as a moving and inspiring story of bravery and compassion.