Discover the extraordinary life and legacy of Harriet Tubman in the landscape of her childhood and early adult life.
Harriet Ross Tubman, an American legendary human rights advocate and suffragist, was born in enslaved in Dorchester County, Maryland not far from this site around 1822. Bird calls, fresh plowed fields, and the hum of mosquitos recall the landscape that shaped Harriet Tubman's life as an enslaved child, young woman, and freedom seeker.
Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849. Utilizing her courage, skills, contacts on the Underground Railroad, and intimate knowledge of the local landscapes, she returned to lead 13 or more daring rescue missions to free at least 70 family members and other enslaved people.
To honor Tubman's legacy, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources worked closely with The Conservation Fund and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to establish the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park on these 17 acres in 2007. In March 2013, President Barack Obama established the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument by an executive order under the Antiquities Act of 1906. The 480-acre Jacob Jackson Homesite was donated to the National Park Service by The Conservation Fund for inclusion in the new national monument. In December 2014, Congress created the
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park. The Jacob Jackson site is now part of this park.
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center is jointly managed by the Maryland Park Service and the National Park Service and is also headquarters for the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program.
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