Harriet Tubman is important because she turned her own escape from slavery into a lifelong mission to free others, fight slavery, and push for civil rights and women’s rights in the United States.

Quick Scoop

  • Escaped slavery herself, then went back repeatedly to rescue others via the Underground Railroad.
  • Helped free dozens directly and inspired many more escapes, earning the nickname “Moses.”
  • Served as a scout, spy, nurse, and military leader for the Union during the Civil War.
  • Became a symbol and active supporter of abolition, civil rights, and women’s suffrage after the war.
  • Still remembered today as a powerful icon of courage, resistance, and freedom.

Her Life in Brief

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery around 1822 in Maryland and suffered brutal treatment, including a head injury that caused her pain and fainting spells for the rest of her life. Around 1849, she escaped to the North, gaining freedom in Pennsylvania. Instead of staying safe, she chose to go back into slave territory to help others escape.

Her life spans some of the most intense years in U.S. history: from slavery and the pre–Civil War era, through the Civil War, and into the early 1900s, when debates about civil rights and women’s voting rights were growing louder.

Underground Railroad Hero

Tubman became a key “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, a secret network that moved enslaved people from the South to freedom in the North or Canada.

Historians commonly highlight that:

  • She made around 13 rescue trips into the South after her escape.
  • She directly guided roughly 70 people to freedom (including family and friends), while others inspired by her efforts raised the total number of people helped into the hundreds.
  • She never lost a person on her missions, which were extremely dangerous.

Because she led people out of slavery again and again, people started calling her “Moses of her people,” comparing her to the biblical figure who led the Israelites out of bondage.

Role in the Civil War

Harriet Tubman’s importance goes beyond the Underground Railroad. During the American Civil War, she worked with the Union Army in several roles.

She:

  • Served as a scout and spy, gathering information behind Confederate lines.
  • Worked as a nurse and cook, caring for sick and wounded soldiers.
  • Took part in the Combahee River Raid in South Carolina in 1863, which freed more than 700 enslaved people and damaged the Confederate economy.

Many accounts credit her as the first woman to lead an armed military expedition for the United States, which makes her a significant figure in both military and women’s history.

Fighting for Rights After Slavery

After the Civil War, Tubman did not step away from public life.

She:

  • Spoke out for civil rights and against racial injustice.
  • Supported women’s suffrage, appearing at meetings and sharing her story to argue that women deserved the vote.
  • Created the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York, to care for older and poor Black Americans.

She spent her later years continuing to help others, even though she never had much money herself.

Why She Still Matters Today

Harriet Tubman’s story speaks to several big themes that keep her relevant:

  • Courage and resistance: She risked her life repeatedly, defying laws that treated enslaved people as property.
  • Leadership: She led missions, influenced Union military operations, and later advocated in public movements.
  • Inspiration for justice movements: Modern civil rights and social justice activists often point to her as an example of standing up to an unjust system.
  • Representation of Black women’s impact: Her life highlights how Black women shaped U.S. history, even when they were excluded from power.

In many classrooms, museums, and public discussions today, “why is Harriet Tubman important” is really a question about what courage and moral leadership look like in the face of systemic injustice.

Mini FAQ

Was Harriet Tubman only important because of the Underground Railroad?
No. Her military work, civil rights activism, and women’s suffrage efforts also make her a significant figure across multiple parts of U.S. history.

How many people did she free?
She personally guided about 70 people to freedom, while other accounts emphasize that more than 300 escaped with her help and leadership over a decade.

Is Harriet Tubman in the news or trending today?
She often resurfaces in discussions about school curricula, civil rights education, and proposals (like putting her image on U.S. currency), keeping her story active in public debate.

TL;DR: Harriet Tubman is important because she escaped slavery, then risked her life to free others, fought in the Civil War, and spent the rest of her life pushing for freedom and equal rights, becoming a lasting symbol of courage and resistance.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.