Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman
- Born: around March 1822 in Dorchester County, MD
- Died: March 10, 1913 in Auburn, NY
- Buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, NY
- Inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1973
Civil war hero. Self-made entrepreneur. Philanthropist.
Born Araminta “Minty” Ross to an enslaved family in Maryland, Harriet Tubman became the most well-known of all the Underground Railroad’s conductors. In all of her journeys, as she once proudly pointed out to Frederick Douglass, she “never lost a single passenger.” What is not as well-known is that Harriet Tubman lived as a free woman for 50 years in Auburn, New York and was well acquainted with William & Frances Seward.
Against all odds – she was Black, enslaved, disabled, and a woman – Harriet Tubman became a self-made entrepreneur, a philanthropist, an ardent suffrage supporter, and the first woman to lead an armed expedition during the Civil War. She was buried with military honors and has become an iconic brave woman, providing inspiration to women and girls throughout history.
In 2019, she was the subject of the Oscar-nominated film Harriet. Experience her story firsthand by visiting her gravesite as well as her home and other spots where she spent many fruitful years in the Finger Lakes region. Also, can somebody please put this woman on the twenty-dollar bill already?
“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars, to change the world.”
— Harriet Tubman
Learn more about Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman’s home in Auburn still stands and has been turned into part of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. The property also includes a museum filled with stories of herlegacy and artifacts from her life.
Many businesses in Auburn honor her legacy, and a statue of Ms. Tubman carrying a lantern proudly stands in front of the NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center.
Harriet Tubman is buried nearby in Fort Hill Cemetery. Visitors frequently travel to her grave to pay their respects.
