Harriet Tubman

Barbara J. Feldman

In 2003, New York Governor George E. Pataki established March 10 as Harriet Tubman Day. Harriet Tubman was born a slave in 1820, but escaped north to freedom in 1849. Instead of enjoying her newfound freedom, however, she returned south nineteen times to rescue hundreds of others. Because of the number of black American slaves that Tubman lead to freedom, she is often called the Moses of her people.

America's Library: Harriet Tubman

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Published by the Library of Congress, America's Library is written for upper elementary and middle school students. Harriet Tubman's story is told with four articles about her childhood and her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Other American heroes are listed in categories such as Activists & Reformers, Leaders & Statesmen Adventurers & Explorers.

Enchanted Learning: Harriet Tubman

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"Araminta Harriet Greene was born a slave in Maryland. In 1844, Harriet married John Tubman, who was a free man. She escaped slavery in 1849 and traveled north." For elementary students, Enchanted Learning has a short Tubman bio, a hyperlinked time line, and related printable activity pages. My favorite printables are the quiz and coloring pages (especially those that contain both the quiz and the coloring!)

Harriet Tubman & The Underground Railroad for Children

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"The students in Mrs. Taverna's second grade class at Pocantico Hills School in Sleepy Hollow, New York have been learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad." And, boy, do they have a lot of work to share with you! They've created a time line, a quiz, a Harriet Tubman photo gallery, and a map of her 130-mile route to freedom. The students have written poems, character sketches and crossword puzzles. I suggest you visit.

Harriet Tubman Biography

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In 2003, historian Kate Clifford Larson wrote the first non-juvenile Tubman biography published in nine decades. This site (for high-school students and adults) contains excerpts and photos from Larson's book "Bound For The Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero." It's a great resource for report writers who want to beyond the basic material available in encyclopedias and at other sites.

Spectrum Biographies: Harriet Tubman

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Harriet Tubman's "parents were from the Ashanti tribe of West Africa, and they worked as slaves on the Brodas plantation. In addition to producing lumber, Edward Brodas raised slaves to rent and sell. Life was difficult on the plantation, and Harriet was hired out as a laborer by the age of five. Harriet did not like to work indoors, and she was routinely beaten by her masters." This one-page bio is perfect for middle school and high school students. Eighty more biographies can be found by following the home page link at the top of the page.