Harriet Foote Turner

As a free woman of color who worked on the Fitzhugh plantation, one of her jobs was to pick up newly arrived enslaved workers from the Alexandria slave market.

In 1851, she took bold action. Instead of delivering 12 people to the plantation, she posed as their owner, forged travel passes, and led them to freedom in Canada.

After this, she was not able to return to Falls Church, but she maintained contacts with family and eventually purchased land for her family members. (Target and The Lincoln at Tinner Hill stand there today.)