Harriet Tubman is one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. After escaping from slavery in 1849, she decided that freedom meant very little if the people she loved were still in danger. Because of this, she made many secret trips back into Maryland to guide others to safety. Over about ten years, she helped around seventy people escape and gave advice that helped many more.
Tubman became skilled at moving people through dangerous territory. She traveled at night and rested during the day. She followed the North Star, used back roads and swamps, and depended on trusted safe houses along the route. She wore disguises and used signals so she would not be recognized. Slave catchers hunted for her and put up rewards for her capture, yet she was never caught. Tubman often said that she never lost a passenger, meaning everyone she guided reached freedom.
They called her Moses because she guided enslaved people to freedom, like the biblical Moses led his people to the Promised Land. The name showed how much people respected her bravery, leadership, and dedication to helping others. Abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison spread the nickname, which became a symbol of her strong determination.
Tubman built a network of people who supported her missions. Some were free Black community members. Others were white abolitionists or Quakers who believed slavery was wrong. Together, they provided food, shelter, clothing, and directions. The work became even riskier after the Fugitive Slave Act, which allowed people to be captured even in free states. Still, Tubman continued her journeys because she believed everyone deserved freedom.
