Harriet Tubman in 1911. She was an African-American abolitionist, humanitarian, and during the American Civil War, a Union spy. Born into slavery; escaped and subsequently made about thirteen missions to rescue others through the Underground Railroad organization Harriet Tubman threatened death to escaping slaves if they wanted to turn back. “If he was weak enough to give out, he’d be weak enough to betray us all, and all who had helped us; and do you think I’d let so many die just for one coward man.”