[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E243]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 26, 2008

  Mr. RANGEL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Black History Month 
and to enter into the record an editorial from New York CaribNews for 
the week ending February 19, 2008, ``Harriet Tubman: Moses of Her 
People--She Demonstrated the Courage and Grit of a Freedom Fighter.''
  Harriet Tubman was born a slave in 1820 on a Maryland plantation. In 
1849 she escaped to Philadelphia and immediately began her mission of 
freeing as many slaves as she could on what became known as the 
``Underground Railroad'', a network of antislavery activists and safe 
houses. Harriet Tubman is credited with rescuing over 300 slaves. The 
Underground Railroad operated at night with escaping slaves following 
the Northern Star. This enterprising operation involved the following 
states: Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland and 
ultimately was responsible for guiding more than 2,500 slaves to 
freedom.
  Harriet Tubman was so successful that a $40,000 reward was issued for 
her capture, dead or alive. However, this was not a deterrent to her 
mission. Even with the enormous price on her head she returned south to 
free her family and made 19 additional trips while eluding her enemies. 
She was said to have never lost a passenger.
  During the Civil War Harriet Tubman joined the Union Army and worked 
first as a cook and a nurse and later as a scout and spy. When the war 
ended Harriet Tubman took on the role of community mother taking care 
of elderly and needy Blacks while supporting the establishment of 
Southern Freed People's school. She continued caring for the community 
well into her 80's.
  As Michael D. Roberts states at the end of his CaribNews essay, ``For 
all her toughness Harriet Tubman, who died at age 90, was first and 
foremost a decent, kind and loving human being who only wanted the best 
for her people.''

 Harriet Tubman: Moses of Her People--She Demonstrated the Courage and 
                       Grit of a Freedom Fighter

                        (By Michael D. Roberts)

       This tiny but exceptionally brave Black woman commanded the 
     grudging respect of white southern slave owners. As a matter 
     of fact they put out a huge reward of $40,000 for her capture 
     dead or alive. In the north they called her the ``Moses of 
     her people'' because of her legendary exploits in getting 
     slaves out of the racist south.
       Her name was Harriet Tubman and she was born a slave on a 
     Maryland plantation. Then in 1849 she escaped to Philadelphia 
     and immediately joined what has now come to be known as the 
     ``Underground Railroad'' a complex and secret passage used by 
     abolitionists to conduct slaves to the free north.
       It operated at night and followed the Northern Star. Its 
     conductors met and accompanied the runaway slaves leading 
     them through an intricate web of roads, barns, paths and 
     hideouts to confuse irate southern slaveowners hot in 
     pursuit. The states involved were Ohio, Indiana, 
     Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. And the Railroad's 
     greatest conductor was Harriet Tubman. In a daring 
     enterprise, and with more than 3,200 people involved, this 
     Railway was responsible for guiding to the north more then 
     2,500 slaves between 1830 and 1860.
       The story of Harriet Tubman began when she freed herself 
     and then returned, even with a price on her head, to the 
     hostile south to free her family. She made 19 additional 
     trips to the south and was able to elude her enemies by guile 
     and cunning. She became an embarrassment to the intelligence 
     organizations of the south as she avoided trap after trap and 
     earned the name ``Scarlet Pimpernel'' for her exploits. Her 
     trips to the south resulted in freedom for more than 300 
     slaves who were conducted by ``General Moses'' to the north 
     and Canada. Known for her great physical strength, Harriet 
     Tubman also became widely known for her courage and 
     resourcefulness. Always she was able to confuse the 
     slaveowners. For example, she once let loose several 
     chickens she had just bought in a southern market place to 
     avoid being recognized by a former master. And another 
     time she deliberately took a southern bound train to shake 
     off her pursuers. Said to be deeply religious, it was the 
     strength of her convictions that motivated her to do what 
     she did--she was convinced that she was doing the Lord's 
     work.
       When the Civil War broke out Harriet Tubman enlisted in the 
     Union Army and became a spy and scout because of her 
     knowledge of the outdoors and her uncanny intelligence.
       She was placed in this dangerous role also for her ability 
     to operate under extreme pressure and to handle difficult 
     situations. From all reports her dispatches were informative 
     and led to many successes for the Union forces.
       Not one to remain complacent she also worked as a nurse in 
     a hospital for freed slaves and helped them economically by 
     raising money from the sale of eggs and chickens.
       When the guns of the Civil War fell silent Harriet Tubman 
     made New York her home and cared for her aged parents. She 
     became something of a community mother because she took in 
     other needy Blacks who were struggling to make a new life in 
     New York.
       Never able to read or write she nevertheless knew the value 
     of education and was shrewd enough to realize that Blacks 
     would have to educate themselves to make it in the United 
     States. She therefore supported the establishment of Southern 
     Freed People's Schools.
       Well into the twilight of her years Harriet Tubman set up a 
     home to care for old and poor Blacks. It is correct to say 
     that she remained the Moses of Her People right on to the end 
     of her long life. When she set up the ``poor people's home'' 
     she was at the ripe old age of 80 years. Harriet Tubman 
     proved that age was never a fetter to advancement and that 
     complacency and inaction were the greatest enemies of Blacks 
     in America. She demonstrated that conviction; determination 
     and bravery were necessary tools in fighting for human and 
     civil rights. Harriet Tubman has left an example on how to 
     love people. She did what no government or institution was 
     able to do for her people. She became in the process an 
     institution herself. Her exploits and bravery will always be 
     remembered as will be her humanity and compassion.
       For all her toughness Harriet Tubman, who died at age 90, 
     was first and foremost a decent, kind and loving human being 
     who only wanted the best for her people.

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