Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero

Harriet Tubman stated that on the Underground Railroad she never ran her train off the track and never lost a passenger. But the strong, young, enslaved woman who took off from the Eastern Shore of Maryland to freedom in Pennsylvania and then returned time and time again to free her relatives, friends, and anyone else who was willing to escape slavery, was much more than a conductor on the Underground Railroad. She was also a mystic, a master of disguise and a spy, recruiter, nurse, and laundress for the Union Army during the Civil War. She was a close friend of Frederick Douglass, John Brown, Secretary of State William Seward, Lucretia Coffin Mott, Susan B. Anthony and other leaders in the Abolitionist and Woman’s Suffrage movement, show more and a tireless fundraiser for both causes.

John Brown referred to her as “General,” because of the qualities he saw in her: military leadership, organizing and recruiting skills. Four years after Brown’s execution in 1859 for his failed raid on Harpers Ferry, “On June 1, 1863 Tubman became the first woman to plan and execute an armed expedition during the Civil War.” She led a raid with three Union gunboats up the Combahee River in South Carolina to attack Confederate warehouses and stockpiles of grain. In addition to the stores destroyed in the raid, 756 slaves rushed to the gunboats eager to be taken as contraband. Most of whom then volunteered to join the United States Army.

Immediately after the war, she worked in Virginia as a nurse tending wounded soldiers, before returning to her home in Auburn, New York, where she continued to care for her parents, adopted daughter, and took in anyone who was down and out, especially former slaves. She worked as a speaker and fundraiser for Woman’s Suffrage, and civil rights for the newly emancipated citizens following the backlash of racism and violence that erupted following the end of Reconstruction. She continued to work to support herself and her household as a farmer, brickmaker or whatever she could do to make ends meet. Although a skillful fundraiser for causes that she believed in and fought for, she also gave away her own money to anyone who needed some, despite the urging of many of her prominent friends and supporters to keep some for herself.

When she died in 1913 her fame and place in American history was already established, but her reputation and importance, waxed and waned with time. Although she continued to be celebrated in children’s books throughout the twentieth century, only one biography for adult readers was published in 1943 after its author had been turned down by multiple prominent publishers who felt that there would be no market for it. Larson’s twenty-first century biography, so well written, and exhaustively researched is a joy for readers. It fills in much that was left out of earlier, and sometimes inaccurate, accounts of Tubman’s life. show less

Everyone has heard of Harriet Tubman. Everyone was taught in grade school about the fearless female "Moses" who rescued her people from slavery and who famously "never lost a passenger" on the Underground Rail Road. After grade school though Tubman is largely omitted from text books and class discussion save for a few meager sentences to remind you of the platitudes you were taught in first grade history, indeed, finding a scholarly work on Tubman's life at all is a tricky prospect and most searches online or through library databases will yield mainly children's books.

The result of this glaring and galling omission is that most people, myself included, tend to have a very feeble grasp on the true measure of Harriet's courage, skill, show more historical importance, and impact.

Everyone knows she escaped slavery only to return to the south multiple times to save others. Most don't know she returned time and again to the same area she escaped from, sometimes the very same plantation she had fled, each new mission growing increasingly, almost unbearably dangerous as the slave owners of Dorchester county Maryland, doubled, then trebled their guard in the face of the ever rising number of successful runaways from their small county.

Everyone knows Harriet was a conductor on the famed Underground Rail Road, and most even know of her impressive track record of never losing even a single passenger. But far too few people know Harriet was also a valuable asset to the Union army during the civil war, or that she personally orchestrated and led an immensely successful military raid into Confederate territory that resulted in the saving of some seven hundred people and almost no Union casualties.

And finally, everyone knows Harriet Tubman was a hero who acted on her convictions and helped enslaved people escape to freedom. But almost no one knows the true tragedy of this brave woman's life. The fact that she spent her whole life helping her family and anyone else in need yet died in dire financial straits due in no small part to being denied a salary and pension from the U.S. Army for years after her invaluable service. The fact that she served her country with the highest distinction during the horrors of the Civil War yet was forcibly and violently thrown out of a whites only railway car years later, resulting in a broken arm while fellow passengers simply jeered or yelled for her to be thrown off the train entirely. The final and perhaps greatest indignity would come only after her death. Following the Civil War Tubman's legacy and memory was passed over as too controversial and too upsetting, the figure of a former slave freeing others from the heinous institution of bondage didn't mesh well with the spirit of forgiveness, reconciliation, and historical white washing that pervaded the country. The result of this glossing over are apparent even today, as I mentioned earlier this remarkable and unique historical figure still struggles to get full attention from authors, historians, and the public; the dearth of adult materials on Tubman's life and exploits is truly saddening.

To sum up, this biography is an excellent resource as well as a captivating read (although credit is due in no small part to the remarkable and fascinating nature of Harriet's life itself). The author understands the importance of Tubman as a largely forgotten historical figure and this perspective informs her writing in a crucial way. Do yourself a favor and read this book about one of America's truly great heroes, not another general who happened to be present at a critical battle or another president whose marble facade doesn't hold up well under historical scrutiny, but a truly brave a selfless hero who risked everything for her family and country even when no reward or even recognition was forthcoming. show less

This book was yet another buddy read with my dad. We saw this title mentioned in signage at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum as recommended reading, and as Tubman was certainly one of the figures we wanted to know more about through our previous Civil War & Reconstruction reading, we immediately made note of it to pick it up for our next read.

As much as I love smooth narrative non-fiction, I love this heavily end-noted, product of original research non-fiction even more. As much as Tubman is a beloved figure TODAY, there were certainly long gaps of public interest, reinforcing substantial gaps in knowledge about Tubman's life. Larson digs deep here, and especially in Tubmans early pre-escape from bondage life, tries to color in a show more lot of the blank space with context and what little scraps of information that exist.

These pre-escape sections were the most difficult to read. Built substantially from property records of the white families holding the majority of Tubman's family — it suffered in part from the tradition of the period to reuse family names, plus a little going back and forth in time to follow different lines of narrative — it led to a considerable amount of hair pulling over "Wait, WHICH Thompson are we talking about here?" I wanted to yell at Larsen, "Have a little less faith in the reader and couch this with some more reminders, please!"

But once Tubman made her escape, the story became easier to follow, and it was satisfying to start recognizing intersections with what we had read previously of her life from the book The Agitators.

Overall, a very solid book! So glad they recommended it at the Lincoln Museum, though I wish they'd had it for sale in their museum store! show less

Excellent read! Had only learned in school about Harriet Tubman, who via the "Underground RailRoad" became a free woman. Fascinated to learn how she risked her life, to help many others do the same. Then participated in helping the Union on the front lines of battle. She was very much a true American Patriot! Author Kate Larson does exceptional work to also trace other works both fair and unfair portrayals, to assure the reader gets to know Harriet Tubman best.

This is a scholarly work which reads like a novel. The author's voice is precise, factual and clear without being erudite or pendantic. It is very well researched. The notes are for posterity, demonstrating the diligence and perseverance deserving of high acclaim!

This book reveals a true American hero. It also unmasks how culture can both destroy a necessary lesson and be so cruel to the true heroes among us. The few bits of analysis are wise and profound. Managing and correcting names and places is always hard in a biography or history book. Ms. Larson handled this with ease, outstanding clarity and repetition sufficient to follow. The maps could have been better with more detail.

I LOVED this book!
The author's focus on Harriet and her community was beautifully done.
I can not reccomend this biography highly enough.

I loved this well researched story of Harriet Tubman's life and work. I felt as though I had a privileged insight into the woman who fought such a courageous & dangerous battle for her people.. The book was well written and so interesting I couldn't put it down. I bought it while in Cambridge, MD where Harriet grew up as a small child in slavery. A gentleman in the small museum dedicated to her, recommended this book to me and I am so glad he did.