Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Harriet_Tubman.jpg)

I feel that being a hero is someone that has accomplished the unthinkable. My definition of a hero is a person who has done something that has changed the world for the better. Others always come before themselves. They have strength, determination and have made a difference to people even when it meant taking risks or jeopardizing their own life. A true hero stands up for something that they believe in. A perfect example of a hero is, Harriet Tubman. She did in fact make a difference in the world by helping to fight racism!

The best evidence of when Harriet was born was in 1820. She was born as a slave. She was sold multiple times throughout her life as a slave and was forced to work in the fields throughout her life. She also was treated extremely poorly. Times whenever she would get physically hurt or become ill, she was forced to keep working. Harriet had finally gotten fed up with the all of the pain and torture that she had been living throughout her life so she escaped.

The part of Harriet's life where she made a difference began the day that she decided to take a stand and free others from slavery. She believed that no human should ever be treated as a servant. She felt that everyone should be treated equally. That someone’s race shouldn’t label them. In order to make her dream of everyone becoming equal come true, she became part of the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a system where they would help slaves escape and become free. It was organized with helpers that were white abolitionists, free blacks, and Christian activists.

As a part of the Underground Railroad she risked her life by making nineteen trips. This was a dangerous and risky task because she could have been easily spotted and captured. To avoid that from happening she had to travel at night. All her trips were made by foot and each took a series of days making her even more vulnerable to be spotted. But all of the trouble this took in the end made it all worth it for her because she saved over three hundred slaves. I feel that she is a hero because of the way that she saved their lives. She felt that for herself and for others that a stand had to be taken if there were to be any changes. Harriet Tubman won, against all odds and made a difference; she made a giant step to abolishing slavery and racism and became an inspiration for many people’s lives.

Harriet was known for her great determination that she had and was admired for generations to come. She made people want to strive for equality for all races. Her name gave strength and hope to others, and for the urge to want to help people. I think that the advice that Harriet would give to today’s youth is just to stand up for what is right and what you believe in. I also think that she would tell the youth to think of others first and she would want everyone to put their all into things and not get out of something when the going gets rough.