There are few Americans today who do not know the name Harriet Tubman. Famous for her work on the Underground Railroad, Tubman is a beloved historical figure of the Civil War era. Yet common knowledge about her and her work is plagued by half-truths and exaggerations. As historians have further researched Tubman, they have been able to put a finer point on what her life was like and the scope of her work. Even so, collective knowledge about Harriet Tubman can be slow to change, even 150 years later.
Fact: Harriet Tubman Rescued Fewer Than 100 People
Those who have not studied Harriet Tubman beyond what they learned in history class might assume that she rescued hundreds of slaves throughout her lifetime. The reality is that she rescued a comparatively smaller number, though it does not make her story and feats any less impactful. She herself estimated that she rescued somewhere closer to 70 people through the Underground Railroad.
Shortly after she stopped her work rescuing enslaved people, historians, including her biographer, estimated that she saved more than 300 people, a figure that was quickly absorbed into the collective memory of Americans. What is true is that, in addition to those she rescued personally, Tubman provided instructions to other enslaved people, who ultimately escaped on their own.
Myth: Harriet Tubman Rescued Slaves From All Over the South
One common misconception about Tubman’s valuable work is that she rescued slaves from all over the South. This, however, is not true. Historians and Tubman herself report that she only rescued slaves from one state: Maryland.
It is easy to assume that Tubman rescued enslaved persons from all over because the Underground Railroad as a whole helped enslaved persons in the South. Of course, the Underground Railroad was not an actual railroad but rather an interconnected web of Americans in the North as well as in Canada helping others to freedom. This might lead to the conclusion that Tubman’s efforts expanded throughout the South, but in fact she focused on a small section of the country.
Fact: Tubman Was Born Araminta Ross
While women adopting new surnames after marriage is quite common, it may surprise some to learn that “Harriet” was not her birth name either. Most people have never even heard Harriet Tubman’s real name because she is almost solely referred to by a name she claimed later in life. Tubman was born to her parents as Araminta Ross. As a child, she went by the nickname “Minty,” but she also adopted a new name as she got older.
Harriet is, in fact, a nickname as well, taken from her mother, Harriet Green Ross, and it was not until she married her husband that she received the last name “Tubman.”
Myth: Tubman’s Name Is of African Origin
Among those who are familiar with Tubman’s birth name, another pervasive myth is that “Araminta” is of African descent. Despite being a unique name that many have never heard before, it does not have origins in Africa. Rather, Araminta has its roots in English Puritan culture. Tubman’s birth name has nothing to do with her family’s origin.
Looking throughout the United States—or even specifically in Maryland where Tubman was from—many women, both Black and white, shared the same name, which was not specific to any race at that time.
Fact: Harriet Tubman Served During the Civil War
One little discussed fact in the lore of Harriet Tubman is that she served during the Civil War. From 1861-1863, Tubman served as a nurse, treating injured Union soldiers and African Americans. African American women were not able to officially join the efforts of the Civil War. Tubman was paid much less than her counterparts for her service, but she served nonetheless to help others.
Despite spending most of her tenure during the Civil War as a nurse, Tubman also learned to use a gun when she participated in missions further into her service. At one point, it is believed that she used a sharpshooter’s rifle. This would help her on her future rescue missions outside of the Civil War; she knew how to use a pistol and carried it with her for both her own protection and the protection of those she led to freedom.
Myth: Harriet and John Tubman Were Forced to Marry
An unfortunate myth that persists is that Harriet was forced to marry her husband, John Tubman. This myth likely began because, in many areas of the United States, slaveholders forced enslaved persons to marry. This was not the case for the area of Maryland where Tubman lived.
Even though Harriet was from an enslaved family, John Tubman was from a free family and was therefore free to marry who he wanted to. While the details of their relationship are unclear, it can be assumed that they married voluntarily.
It should also be noted that any children Harriet had would be the property of her owner, Edward Brodess, not of her husband. John, therefore, would not have entered into marriage with Harriet if children and a family were his goal, though, again, it is impossible to say what his true motives were.
Fact: Harriet Tubman Had Eight Siblings
Although a minor fact about her life, it is one that is often misconstrued. A claim is often made that Tubman had nearly a dozen siblings while growing up. Indeed, Tubman had a large family, but exactly how many siblings she had is a well-known fact: eight. She had four brothers and four sisters. She was the fifth child born. Tubman did, however, have two nieces that she considered to be her family, which may have led some historians to conclude that she had a larger family than she actually did.
The names of Tubman’s brothers and sisters were Robert, Ben, Henry, Moses, Linah, Mariah Ritty, Soph, and Rachel. Her two nieces, Kessiah and Harriet Jolley, were the children of her sister Linah.
Myth: Tubman Was Old When She Rescued Slaves
Many prominent women from history are often portrayed as elderly and motherly. This is also an image that one might have of Harriet Tubman, but she was actually a relatively young woman during her time rescuing enslaved people.
Although it is difficult to pinpoint an exact date, it is believed that Harriet was born in early 1822. Many of her rescues happened in 1858 and 1859, meaning that she was in her early- to mid-30s during these missions. While one could argue that Tubman was not exactly young, she was also not nearly old enough to be pictured as a grandmother.
A new statue of Harriet Tubman being created in Philadelphia could help change the image many Americans have of an elderly Tubman.
Fact: Many Called Tubman “Moses”
Tubman had a number of nicknames throughout her life, but one stands out: Moses, after the Biblical hero who led his people to the Promised Land. Moses led enslaved Israelites out of Egypt, mirroring what Tubman’s mission was to many: leading enslaved people to freedom in the United States.
Moses was a nickname that she received during her lifetime, likely somewhere around 1860. Few people are given such a name before their death, so Tubman knew exactly what she meant to the people she helped. Tubman’s efforts during her lifetime were important enough for the United States’ government to consider placing Tubman’s image on the $20 bill. The plan, though since delayed, was to move President Andrew Jackson’s portrait to the back of the bill, with Harriet on the front.
Myth: There Was a $40,000 Reward For Her Capture
One myth that comes up throughout histories of Harriet Tubman is that there was at one time a $40,000 reward for her capture. Today, this would be equivalent to more than $1.5 million.
In reality, there is only evidence of one reward ever offered for Tubman, during the time she was still going by “Minty,” in 1849, offered by the wife of her owner. The reward was for $100—a much more modest $3,300 in today’s dollars—and included rewards for her two brothers as well. In addition, the reward was only valid if she was caught outside of Maryland. The $40,000 bounty figure was made up by an anti-slavery activist.
