Araminta Tubman was born into slavery on Maryland's Eastern Shore in 1822. Nearly killed at the age of 13 by a blow to her head, "Minty" recovered and grew strong and determined to be free. Changing her name to Harriet upon her marriage to freeman John Tubman in 1844, she escaped five years later when her enslaver died and she was to be sold. One hundred dollars was offered for her capture. Vowing to return to bring her family and friends to freedom, she spent the next ten years making about 13 trips into Maryland to rescue them. She also gave instructions to about 70 more who found their way to freedom independently. During the Civil War, she served the United States Army as a spy, scout, nurse and cook. In early 1862, Tubman traveled to South Carolina to provide badly needed nursing care for African-American soldiers and civilians. Working with Major General David Hunter, Tubman also began spying and scouting behind Confederate lines. Tubman showed the same zeal and passion for the campaign to attain women's suffrage after the American Civil War as she had shown for the abolition of slavery. Harriet Tubman died in 1913 in Auburn, New York at the home she purchased from Secretary of State William Seward in 1859, where she established the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged. She was buried with military honors at Fort Hill Cemetery.
Books Read by Central High School Students:
Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln
Written by Margarita Engle & Rafael Lopez
Read by Christina Zelin
Dare the Wind
Written by Tracey Fern
Ready by Amy Zhang, Lena Ondreyka, and Jess Natoli.
Click here to watch and listen to the story
The Quickest Kid in Clarksville
Written by Pat Zietlow Miller
Ready by Sierra Chow
Click here to watch and listen to the story
Maya Lin
Written by Jeanne Walker Harvey
Ready by Rahini Gubbala
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Counting on Katherine
Written by Helaine Becker
Ready by Pranjal Mhetre