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| Harriet Tubman, abolitionist |
As I prepare to teach "The Nineteenth Century City" this fall at the University of Alabama, I am reflecting on the significance of the urban space in the life of Harriet Tubman. While we often think of Tubman leading enslaved African Americans to freedom under the cover of night in wooded areas or the countryside on the "Underground Railroad," it is worth it to think about Tubman's life outside these spaces. How do we find meaning in her travels to cities during the nineteenth century? Indeed, upon reaching Philadelphia in 1849 as a runaway slave, Harriet Tubman said she felt like “a stranger in a strange land.” Her angst may have been a consequence of poverty, but it was also attributable to isolation in a place that initially proved difficult because of the color of her skin, her gender, but also the degree to which it was different from anything she had ever seen. Overwhelmed possibly by these and other issues, including being away from her friends and family, Tubman returned to Maryland to aid in their escape. Learn more about the impact of cities on many individuals, not just enslaved ones, via a blog that has been set up for The Nineteenth Century City course. As true of the African Americans in the City course, which returns next semester, students taking that course will have an opportunity to share what they are learning.
