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Secondary sourceDocument1889

Tubman, Harriet, entry in Appletons' Cyclopaedia

1889

A short biographical entry on Harriet Tubman published in a late-19th-century American reference encyclopedia.

A later encyclopedia summary of Tubman's life, showing how she was presented in reference works after her escapes.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

This is an entry on Harriet Tubman from Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography, a reference book published in New York in 1889. It gives a short summary of her life, from her birth into slavery in Maryland to her work guiding enslaved people to freedom.

Why it matters

Written decades after Tubman's escapes, this entry shows how she was remembered in mainstream American reference works by the late 1800s. It reflects the facts and language available to writers of the time, and gives students an early example of how her story was summarised for a general audience.

Look closer

  • What details does the entry include, and what might it leave out?
  • How does the language used to describe Tubman and slavery compare to how we would write about this today?
  • Why might an encyclopedia entry be useful but also limited as a historical source?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Harriet Tubman on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Scan of an 1849 newspaper runaway-slave reward notice headed 'Three Hundred Dollars Reward', offering rewards for three runaways named Harry, Ben and Minty, signed by Eliza Ann Brodess near Bucktown, Dorchester County, Md.Newspaper article

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Three Hundred Dollars Reward Notice

Eliza Ann Brodess · 3 October 1849

Black-and-white studio portrait of a standing woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar, buttons down the bodice, and a tasseled key at her waist. Her hand rests on a draped chair; a hat and coat lie on a fringed stool, and a draped table stands at left against a plain backdrop with a column.Photograph

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Harriet Tubman

Harvey B. Lindsley · c. 1871-1876

Scan of a dark brown cloth book cover with a worn, faded light-colored title block at the top left, too faded to read clearly. The rest of the cover is plain, with a visible spine edge along the left side.Book

Secondary source

Harriet, the Moses of Her People

Sarah Bradford · 1886

Sepia carte-de-visite portrait of a seated Black woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar and a light checked skirt, leaning her arm on a spindle chair. Handwritten signature reads Harriet Tubman. Red and cream border.Photograph

Primary source

Carte-de-visite Portrait of Harriet Tubman

Benjamin Powelson · c. 1868-1869

Scanned handwritten General Affidavit form, filled in by hand, with a title printed at top. The text describes a claim for services as nurse and cook in hospitals and as commander of scouts during the Civil War. Signatures of affiants appear at the bottom, including Harriet Tubman's name and her mark.Document

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General Affidavit of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman · 1898

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