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Until recently, no one knew where Harriet Tubman, the heroic Underground Railroad conductor and Civil War spy, grew up. Archaeologists have now discovered her birthplace in the muddy swamps of Maryland's eastern shore. Listen to hear details about the process of locating Harriet Tubman’s birthplace and the impact the discovery has had on her living descendants.
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June 28, 2021
3:41
Although President Lincoln outlawed slavery in 1863, it was not until two years later that enslaved people in Texas learned the news, when a Union general rode into Galveston to announce it. Black communities have long celebrated Juneteenth – June 19 – to remember that day in 1865 and celebrate freedom. Many other Americans are unfamiliar with the event, but recently, Congress unanimously voted to make Juneteenth a national holiday. Listen to learn more about the meaning and importance of Juneteenth and how recent events helped raise awareness of the holiday.
Read MoreDecember 3, 2019
6:47
A filmmaker has brought an American heroine to life. The movie Harriet tells the story of Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who risked her life many times to lead hundreds of her fellow slaves to freedom. The filmmaker wanted to show Tubman’s superhero qualities, along with her humanity, to make a legendary historical figure seem more real. Listen to hear the filmmaker explain why she was drawn to Harriet Tubman and how a hero from the 1800s can still inspire us today.
Read MoreApril 25, 2016
4:29
The $5, $10, and $20 bill are all due for an update, and there has been a big push to honor a woman on the face of U.S. currency. Escaped slave Harriet Tubman will replace Andrew Jackson on the face of the $20 bill. Jackson will be moved to the back of the bill. The change came after the US Treasury Secretary invited the public to submit their own ideas of which female from US history should be featured. Tubman not only escaped slavery but created the Underground Railroad through connections and networks, bringing people together to reach a goal. Listen to learn more about the changes in store for U.S. currency.
Read MoreDecember 20, 2014
3:54
Harriet Tubman escaped slavery in Maryland and then used her freedom and the Underground Railroad to free more than 70 slaves. Known as the “Moses of Her People,” Tubman lived a purposeful life fighting slavery. She also joined the fight for women’s suffrage after the Civil War. Congress has approved the creation of two national historic parks, one in Maryland and the other in New York, to commemorate and honor the life of this pioneering woman.
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