It’s time to honor the heroic life of Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and activist, leader of the women’s rights movement and most famously a conductor on the Underground Railroad who led slaves to freedom.

Tubman chose Auburn, New York, as her hometown and final resting place, and on Monday, people paid a visit to the Harriet Tubman National Historic Park to honor her life and legacy.

March 10 is a day to honor the life of Tubman, as it marks more than a century since her death on March 10, 1913. The celebration of Tubman’s life was held at the same church in Auburn where her funeral took place 112 years ago.

“Sometimes people think that since she was a woman, a Black woman, it’s not something that everybody should know about, but everyone should know about Aunt Harriet,” said Diedre Johnson Stanford, a descendant of Tubman. “I am a great-great-great grandniece of Aunt Harriet.”


What You Need To Know

  • Harriet Tubman’s final home and final resting place were in Auburn, where a National Historic Park honors her memory

  • Tubman was a conductor on the Underground Railroad, an activist and abolitionist

  • Tubman died on March 10, 1913, which is why the date is now celebrated as Harriet Tubman Day

She was told about her lineage when she was a young teenager, something she found to be very impactful.

“The more we learned about her and was told about her, it really affected our lives,” Johnson Stanford said.

Tubman was born into slavery in 1822, and did not escape to freedom until 1849. A year later, she risked everything to help other slaves find freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, a network of secret safe houses used to help slaves escape to free states.

She is estimated to have freed around 70 enslaved individuals.

“All in all, that’s what was in her heart," Johnson Stanford said. "She wanted to be free, she wanted people to be free.”

Tubman’s legacy doesn’t stop there.

She believed in the equality of all people, regardless of race, gender, or class, and not only went on to become a leader of the women’s suffrage movement, but also opened a home to care for the elderly and the poor in the Auburn community.

As the ongoing fight for social justice continues, Stanford hopes everyone can learn something from her great-great-grandaunt, who is remembered for her selflessness, bravery and determination.

“Face what’s going on in the world, be kind to one another, offer help when you can and just go with God. It’s freedom we seek,” Stanford said.

In May, the Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church and Harriet Tubman National Historic Park will host an annual Harriet Tubman Pilgrimage event. Also in May, the U.S. Army Women’s Foundation will induct Tubman into the Hall of Fame in Arlington, Va., to celebrate her fight for the Union during the Civil War as well as her countless other contributions to society.