Anyone who knows me knows that I love books and I love history. One of the most important women in history, Harriet Tubman, is a true inspiration for any Black Southern Belle and someone we should all honor in our homes and lives. One of my favorite ways of honoring things that matter most to me is through reading about them. If you are looking to start or enhance your reading list this list Must-Have Harriet Tubman Books for Your Literary Collection. If you have other favorites, please share with us on social media using the hashtag #blacksouthernbell
Must-Have Harriet Tubman Books for Your Literary Collection
Before She was Harriet (Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books)
We know her today as Harriet Tubman, but in her lifetime she was called by many names. As General Tubman she was a Union spy. As Moses she led hundreds to freedom on the Underground Railroad. As Minty she was a slave whose spirit could not be broken. As Araminta she was a young girl whose father showed her the stars and the first steps on the path to freedom.
An evocative poem and stunning watercolors come together to honor a woman of humble origins whose courage and compassion make her a larger than life hero.
A lush and lyrical biography of Harriet Tubman, written in verse and illustrated by James Ransome, winner of the Coretta Scott King medal for The Creation.
A Picture Book of Harriet Tubman (Picture Book Biography)
Harriet Tubman was born into slavery on a Maryland plantation in 1820. A rebellious child, she did not always do as she was told. She hated being a slave and escaped to the north on the Underground Railroad in 1849. During the next ten years, she used the money she earned at odd jobs to return to the south and lead about 300 slaves to freedom. Called “General Tubman” for her strength and bravery, Harriet went on to work as a nurse and spy for the northern army in the Civil War, fight for women’s right to vote, and help to open a home for poor and elderly black people. David A. Adler tells about Harriet Tubman’s life and character, showing why she was admired and loved by the many people who knew her. She was a conductor on the railway to freedom, a “Moses” to her people.
I am Harriet Tubman (Ordinary People Change the World)
This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great–the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Each book tells the story of one of America’s icons in a lively, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers and that always includes the hero’s childhood influences. At the back are an excellent timeline and photos. This volume focuses on Harriet Tubman’s brave heroism as part of the movement to abolish slavery. As one of the key players in the Underground Railroad, she helped enslaved African Americans escape and find freedom.
Harriet Tubman: The Road to Freedom
Celebrated for her courageous exploits as a conductor on the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman has entered history as one of nineteenth-century America’s most enduring and important figures. But just who was this remarkable woman? To John Brown, leader of the Harpers Ferry slave uprising, she was General Tubman. For the many slaves she led north to freedom, she was Moses. To the slaveholders who sought her capture, she was a thief and a trickster. To abolitionists, she was a prophet. Now, in a biography widely praised for its impeccable research and its compelling narrative, Harriet Tubman is revealed for the first time as a singular and complex character, a woman who defied simple categorization.
Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People (African American)
This simple, unvarnished account recalls the courageous life of Harriet Tubman, one of the best-known “conductors” on the Underground Railroad. First published in 1869 and privately printed to raise funds for “the Moses of her people,” Sarah Bradford’s memorable biography recalls the former slave’s grim childhood; her perilous experiences leading slaves into Canada; her efforts as a Civil War nurse, cook, and scout for the Union Army; and her post-conflict endeavors to aid and educate former slaves.
An inspiring story of bravery, perseverance, and self-sacrifice, this accurate, reliable account by Tubman’s contemporary is essential reading for students of American history and African-American studies.
Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman: Portrait of an American Hero
Harriet Tubman is one of the giants of American history—a fearless visionary who led scores of her fellow slaves to freedom and battled courageously behind enemy lines during the Civil War. And yet in the nine decades since her death, next to nothing has been written about this extraordinary woman aside from juvenile biographies. The truth about Harriet Tubman has become lost inside a legend woven of racial and gender stereotypes. Now at last, in this long-overdue biography, historian Kate Clifford Larson gives Harriet Tubman the powerful, intimate, meticulously detailed life she deserves.
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Michiel is a Black Southern Belle living a lowcountry life. I love all things fashion, home decor and southern! When I am not running around doing fun stuff for Black Southern Belle, I live in antique stores and have a minor obsession with historic homes :)
These are fantastic recommendations on her novels..I didn’t realize this many were printed for her. Thanks for sharing