Harriet Tubman, African-American abolitionist and rescuer of slaves, died on this day.
(Photo: MPI/Getty Images)
Harriet Tubman was known as “Black Moses” for her role in leading scores of slaves from the South to Northern states and Canada to escape slavery. She was also a humanitarian and a spy for the Union during the Civil War.
Born into slavery in 1992, Harriet Tubman escaped from her masters and made more than a dozen missions to rescue more than 70 slaves using the network of anti-slavery activists and safe houses known as the Underground Railroad. Later, she assisted John Brown to recruit a de facto militia for his raid on Harpers Ferry. She later became a champion for women’s suffrage.
Later in her life, she became deeply involved in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion church, donating a parcel of real estate she owned to the church. She instructed the church to use the property as a home for "aged and indigent colored people.”
As the years past, Tubman became frail and she was admitted into the rest home that was named for her. She died of pneumonia in 1913. Just before she died, she spoke to those gathered in her room, saying: “I go to prepare a place for you.”
BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
Get ready for the BET Experience, featuring Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, R. Kelly, Erykah Badu, Kendrick Lamar and many more. Go here for more details and info on how to buy tickets.
On Facebook
On Twitter
