First published 1960
Harriet Tubman stands at the edge of a Maryland plantation, studying the dark woods that stretch toward freedom. Born into slavery, she escaped to the North but refuses to stay safe. Instead, she returns again and again to lead others through the secret network known as the Underground Railroad. Tubman moves through hostile territory where bounty hunters search for runaways and every sound could mean capture or death. She guides families through swamps and forests, from safe house to safe house, using coded songs and signals to communicate with allies. Each journey tests her courage as she faces the constant threat of being dragged back into bondage. The stakes grow higher with every rescue mission, but Tubman never loses a single person under her care. Her determination transforms her from an escaped slave into a legendary conductor who becomes known as Moses to those she saves. This is the story of a woman who risked everything to break the chains that bound her people.
Genres: biography, historical-fiction, 20th-century, african-american, 19th-century, african-american-historical-fiction, american-history
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: heroic-journey, resistance
Setting: Maryland, North
Period: 19th-century
364 pages · Hardcover · Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Content warnings: slavery, violence