49 - Maryland, Harriet Tubman
Harriet Tubman holds my heart for a woman that fought for all people. She protected her family and friends. I can't imagine an America without people like Harriet Tubman fighting for people.
Maryland accepted the Nineteenth Amendment on March 29, 1941.
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland. She was thoroughly abused as a slave, with scars as reminders for the hardship she was treated for her entire life. In 1849, she escaped without her family to Pennsylvania. As she crossed the state line into the free Northern state, she is quoted as saying, “When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven.”
Once free by traveling through the Underground Railroad, she felt she needed to return to free her remaining family and friends. Laws constantly changed through the times making it harder, and allowing slaves that escaped to be returned to their owners if found in Northern States. Harriet Tubman moved the Underground Railroad to Canada where no one could be returned. She continued to fight for the freedom of slaves, at one time partnered with John Brown who was executed for his efforts.
For the remainder of her life, she secured some property outside Albany, New York and used the land to have her family and friends to keep them safe. She died at the age of 93. Her early trauma and abuse caused significant seizures and head pain for her whole life. She underwent brain surgery to alleviate the pain.
In 2016, she was selected to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, the first woman on an American bill. It was intended to align with the 100th Anniversary of the Nineteenth, but it is indefinitely delayed.
Why this woman?
Harriet Tubman is the exact reason why I feel badly for not really paying attention to American History. She is the embodiment of fighting for people in injustice and not protecting herself from the fear. She just kept fighting for people.
The scars and atrocities of her life in a plantation showed the intensity of slavery. She bore them as a symbol for people to see and believe. In a time where the stories couldn’t be shared quickly or clearly, the scars were real and undeniable.
When the Treasury committed to changing the face of the $20 bill, it was inspiring to know that the government was turning to a woman as the face. It is a popular denomination that is widespread. The only other time a woman was put on American money was the Sacajawea coin dollar, but it was not prioritized as a currency used. I would hand someone a $20 bill with Harriet Tubman on it with pride, standing behind her not only as a revolutionary woman but as a role model for everyone to stand up for equality and fair treatment of all people.
Harriet Tubman experienced the atrocities of our history, some of America’s worst, for the people. She took the pain with grace and honor. She lived a long life to fight for those that cannot, and a long reminder of the pain to those that didn’t live during slavery. She is a symbol of all American’s rights to fight for equality, and should be held to everyone’s hearts.
Maryland accepted the Nineteenth Amendment on March 29, 1941.
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland. She was thoroughly abused as a slave, with scars as reminders for the hardship she was treated for her entire life. In 1849, she escaped without her family to Pennsylvania. As she crossed the state line into the free Northern state, she is quoted as saying, “When I found I had crossed that line, I looked at my hands to see if I was the same person. There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven.”
Once free by traveling through the Underground Railroad, she felt she needed to return to free her remaining family and friends. Laws constantly changed through the times making it harder, and allowing slaves that escaped to be returned to their owners if found in Northern States. Harriet Tubman moved the Underground Railroad to Canada where no one could be returned. She continued to fight for the freedom of slaves, at one time partnered with John Brown who was executed for his efforts.
For the remainder of her life, she secured some property outside Albany, New York and used the land to have her family and friends to keep them safe. She died at the age of 93. Her early trauma and abuse caused significant seizures and head pain for her whole life. She underwent brain surgery to alleviate the pain.
In 2016, she was selected to replace Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, the first woman on an American bill. It was intended to align with the 100th Anniversary of the Nineteenth, but it is indefinitely delayed.
Why this woman?
Harriet Tubman is the exact reason why I feel badly for not really paying attention to American History. She is the embodiment of fighting for people in injustice and not protecting herself from the fear. She just kept fighting for people.
The scars and atrocities of her life in a plantation showed the intensity of slavery. She bore them as a symbol for people to see and believe. In a time where the stories couldn’t be shared quickly or clearly, the scars were real and undeniable.
When the Treasury committed to changing the face of the $20 bill, it was inspiring to know that the government was turning to a woman as the face. It is a popular denomination that is widespread. The only other time a woman was put on American money was the Sacajawea coin dollar, but it was not prioritized as a currency used. I would hand someone a $20 bill with Harriet Tubman on it with pride, standing behind her not only as a revolutionary woman but as a role model for everyone to stand up for equality and fair treatment of all people.
Harriet Tubman experienced the atrocities of our history, some of America’s worst, for the people. She took the pain with grace and honor. She lived a long life to fight for those that cannot, and a long reminder of the pain to those that didn’t live during slavery. She is a symbol of all American’s rights to fight for equality, and should be held to everyone’s hearts.
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