Harriet Tubman's Journey To Freedom

“We got to go free or die. And freedom’s not bought with dust.” Everyone has a right to be free. This simple belief was so strongly embraced by Harriet Tubman that she was willing to risk her life to free fugitives from slavery. Harriet Tubman also elicited the help of Thomas Garrett to assist her in freeing the slaves. Harriet used stories of people such as Ellen Craft to encourage the fugitives to fight for their freedom. As a result of the brave actions of these courageous people, hundreds of slaves were brought to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who strongly believed that all slaves should be free. She could have easily lived a safe, happy life once she was free, but she didn’t. She
Thomas Garrett would welcome all of “God’s poor” as he called them, into his home for food and a safe place to sleep. There they could eat as much as they wanted and sleep safely for the night. Thomas Garrett would also give shoes to every fugitive before they continued on their journey to freedom. The shoes were a very helpful gift, as many slaves were in need of them. The fugitives did not have to worry about being caught at Thomas Garrett’s store. “There was a hidden room in the store. A whole wall swung open, and behind it was a room where he could hide fugitives”(444). He sacrificed the security of both his business and his family to give the fugitives a safe place to rest. All is all, Thomas Garrett’s generosity helped many runaway slaves find their way to
She told the story of Ellen Craft and her husband William’s escape to freedom. Ellen’s story was a courageous one, as she chose to escape in a very dangerous way. Ellen was very fair skinned and was able to pass as a white person. She dressed up as a white man traveling with his slave, who was actually her husband. Ellen faked an illness and kept her right hand in a sling so she would not have to sign for things since she could not read or write. Their disguise allowed them to travel on trains and stay at the best hotels giving them a taste of freedom. “Ellen pretended to be very ill---her right arm was in a sling and her right hand was bandaged because she was supposed to have rheumatism. Thus, she avoided having to sign the register at hotels, for she could not read or write”(445). Overall, Ellen Craft’s story encouraged others and exemplified the kind of bravery one needed to have in order to fight for their freedom.
In conclusion, many people believed that everyone was entitled to a life of freedom. Harriet Tubman, along with the support of individuals like Thomas Garrett and the stories of brave people such as Ellen Craft, was able to help hundreds of fugitives reach freedom using the Underground Railroad. These enslaved people owed their freedom to the tremendous sacrifices made by such amazing men and women. Because of the willingness of others