Being a female leader is not easy, but being an African-American female leader in the 19th century was almost impossible. Despite this, the world knows such women, one of whom is Harriet Tubman. She was born in slavery, but from childhood dreamed of being free and subsequently was able to escape to the North, where she became one of the leaders of the abolitionist movement (Cahill 51). She fought for social reforms in the United States and became one of the most prominent American abolitionists who consistently worked towards achieving her goals.
A leader is a person who can influence the behavior of other people, take responsibility, go towards achieving goals, and lead a team. Harriet Tubman was a brilliant woman who possessed all of these qualities. Born into slavery, at the age of 29, she escaped bondage and joined the anti-slavery movement (Cahill 52). Before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, she made 19 trips on the Underground Railroad to the southern states and personally freed more than 300 slaves to the North and Canada (Dunbar 28). Moreover, her actions inspired thousands of people to run away. During the Civil War, Tubman fought on the side of the northerners against the slave states of the South. In 1863, she led a raid on enemy positions that freed more than 700 slaves (Dunbar 34). She became the first woman to lead an armed military campaign in US history.
Harriet Tubman was a fighter against slavery in the United States. She was one of the few African-American female leaders of the 19th century and the abolitionist who fought for rights. During her life, Tubman continued to fight against black oppression and for women’s equality. American society should always remember those who made the largest contribution to abolitionism during the 19th century. Such leaders as Harriet Tubman has helped to form the values of American democracy.
References
Cahill, Loren S. “Blackgirl Geography: A (Re) Mapping Guide towards Harriet Tubman and Beyond.” Girlhood Studies, vol. 12, no. 3, 2019, pp. 47-62.
Dunbar, Erica Armstrong. She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman. Simon and Schuster, 2019.