How Harriet Tubman was an influential leader of the 1800s. Harriet Tubman once said, “I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say; I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger”. Harriet Tubman, formerly Amarita Ross, was an influential American abolitionist in the 1800’s. She is most well known for being a conductor on the Underground Railroad, where she freed over three hundred enslaved people. Harriet relied on her courage, wit, and determination to beat the odds and pave the way for future civil rights movements. Being born into slavery in 1822, Harriet had to overcome many obstacles at a young age. At the early age of five, Harriett was forced to become a full-time caretaker for a baby. She took over the role of a mother, even having to stay up around the clock to ensure the child’s actual mother was not woken by the child’s crying. If she failed to console the child immediately, she was punished by physical means, leaving …show more content…
This allowed her to begin freeing other fellow slaves. Even under the cover at night, Harriet felt safer traveling with a gun to ensure not only her safety but the safety of her mission. To help ensure the safety of her mission, Harriet would sometimes have to resort to showing her gun to threaten her fellow travel companions if they decided to expose the group by running away. The success of her mission meant everything to Harriet, while she did not discriminate against age when traveling with others she often safely drugged babies and young children to prevent slave catchers from hearing their cries. Harriet's determination to pursue justice for herself and others led her to freeing over 300 slaves during her time as an Underground Railroad conductor and she also instructed many more slaves on how to escape and find freedom on their