Harriet Tubman's Pivotal Role in Philadelphia: Gateway to Freedom on the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman, born Araminta Ross around 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland, is one of the most iconic figures in American history—a fearless abolitionist, spy, nurse, and suffragist. While her story is often tied to her daring rescues in the South, Philadelphia played a crucial, transformative role in her life. As a free state and a bustling hub of the abolitionist movement, the city served as her first taste of liberty, a base for her Underground Railroad operations, and a network of allies that amplified her efforts to liberate over 70 enslaved people. Tubman's connection to Philadelphia underscores the city's status as a northern beacon for freedom seekers, where Black and white activists collaborated amid rising dangers from the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.

Escape to Freedom: Philadelphia as the Promised LandTubman's journey to freedom began in September 1849, when she fled her enslavers on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Accompanied initially by two brothers, Ben and Henry, she traveled about 90 miles north, navigating swamps, forests, and waterways under the cover of night, guided by the North Star and her intimate knowledge of the terrain.

The brothers turned back due to fear of capture, but Tubman pressed on alone, relying on a clandestine network of Quakers, free Blacks, and sympathetic farmers who provided food, shelter, and directions. A $300 reward was posted for her return, heightening the peril, but she evaded slave catchers and arrived in Philadelphia on foot, exhausted but triumphant.

Upon crossing the Pennsylvania border, Tubman later recounted a profound moment: "I had crossed the line. I was free; but I was not yet safe... There was such a glory over everything; the sun came like gold through the trees, and over the fields, and I felt like I was in Heaven."

Philadelphia, with its vibrant free Black community of over 20,000 in the mid-19th century, offered relative safety. She found work as a domestic servant and hotel laundress, saving every penny to fund future rescues.

This period of hard labor allowed her to blend into the city's working-class neighborhoods, particularly in the Seventh Ward, while building resilience for her role as a "conductor."

 

A Hub for Abolitionist Alliances: Collaborating with Philadelphia's Vigilance Committee

Philadelphia was no mere pit stop; it was the nerve center of the Underground Railroad in the North. Tubman quickly connected with the Philadelphia Vigilance Committee, a group of Black abolitionists who documented escapes and provided aid. At its heart was William Still, a free-born Black businessman whose home at 625 South Delhi Street (now a historic site) doubled as a secret station. 

Still, often called the "Father of the Underground Railroad," interviewed freedom seekers and kept meticulous records—later published as The Underground Railroad (1872)—which helped Tubman refine her strategies.

From Philadelphia, Tubman learned the intricacies of the network: coded signals like spirituals ("Go Down, Moses" for safe passage), safe houses disguised as businesses, and routes extending to New York and Canada.

Quaker abolitionist Thomas Garrett in nearby Wilmington, Delaware, funneled escapees to Still's office or other Philadelphia operators, creating a seamless pipeline.

Tubman's faith, rooted in Methodist hymns, intertwined with these tactics; she used altered song tempos to signal danger or safety to her "passengers."

Launching Rescues: Philadelphia as a Staging GroundEmboldened, Tubman made her first rescue mission just months later, in December 1850. She returned to Maryland to free her niece Kessiah and Kessiah's two children, coordinating with Kessiah's husband, John Bowley, to buy time at auction before spiriting them north to Philadelphia.

This group arrived safely at Still's station, where Tubman ensured their onward journey. Over the next decade, she conducted at least 13 expeditions from Philadelphia, rescuing family members—including her parents in 1857—and dozens of others, totaling around 70 people.

She boasted, "I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger," a testament to her precision and the Philadelphia network's support.

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 complicated matters, empowering federal agents to recapture free Blacks in the North, including in Philadelphia.

Tubman adapted by arming herself with a pistol for protection and rerouting fugitives directly to Canada via Philadelphia's ports or rail lines. Her missions often ended at Still's vigil, where escapees received forged papers, clothing, and funds before dispersing.

Philadelphia's free Black community, including figures like Henrietta Duterte (an undertaker who hid fugitives in coffins), provided essential cover.

Beyond the Railroad: Advocacy and Legacy in the City of Brotherly LoveTubman's Philadelphia ties extended to public advocacy. She spoke at anti-slavery meetings in the city, sharing her experiences to raise funds and awareness—her eloquence drawing crowds despite a bounty on her head.

Though she eventually relocated to Auburn, New York, for safety and family, Philadelphia remained a symbolic home. The city's role in her story is commemorated today: William Still's house is a National Historic Landmark, and the Mother Bethel AME Church—where Tubman worshipped—stands as a testament to Black resistance.Tubman's Philadelphia chapter illustrates how one city's abolitionist fervor could fuel a national movement. She transformed from fugitive to liberator here, proving that freedom wasn't just a destination but a call to action. As we reflect on her legacy, sites like the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway invite us to trace those perilous paths and honor the network that made her missions possible.For more on Tubman's routes, visit the National Park Service's Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad resources.