Movie Review: Carry Me Home

I came across this movie short at Angel Studios.  I thought it was very well presented in depicting the personality of Harriet Tubman (Karen Abercrombie).  It really brings her to life, and some of her eccentric behaviors.  She relied on Jesus for guidance, and never lost an escapee.  In this case she was not able to rescue who she intended, but met a different family, Stephen and Maria Ennals (Joel Ashur and Lindsey Aeriel Grimble).  They are a bit hesitant, but do go with her.  A contact point on the underground railroad was compromised and they have to rely on other means, which are provided by a man wondering through the woods saying his wagon is available.  They procure it and make it to safety.  

I really like getting personal in this way with Harriet Tubman who helped so many people make it to the Underground Railroad.

Book Review: Harriet Tubman: Hero of the Underground Railroad

Harriet Tubman: Hero of the Underground Railroad, by Lori Mortensen, illustrated by Frances Moore, Picture Window Books, Minneapolis, MN, 2007.

 

I enjoyed this brief history of Harriet Tubman in picture book format.  The artwork added something to the story as many of the illustrations had a fabric pattern.  Harriet Tubman did not have a good time as a slave.  She was taken from her mother.  She had to tend a baby, and was beaten if the baby cried.  She was disciplined for stealing sugar.  She did not prevent another man escaping, and her master through an iron at her, hitting her in the head.  This caused her to have headaches the rest of her life.

 

Tubman hated being a slave, and as a young woman, when she heard of intentions to sell her, she escaped.  Using referrals for the underground railroad she was able to make it to Philadelphia, free territory.  However. Tubman’s efforts did not stop there.  She made at least 19 trips back to slave territory, and brought about 300 people back with her in total.  She acted as a conductor for the underground railroad.  She helped her parents and other family members escape. 

With the commencement of the war, she still made trips to slave country, to serve as a nurse, and to help the Union effort as a spy.  She was able to conduct and direct an expedition to clear torpedo mines.  She knew where they were because of her spying efforts. 

Harriet Tubman was an interesting woman, who lived a long life.  When she passed away at age 93 she was buried with military honors, based on her service to many through the underground railroad and the Civil War. 

Biography: Harriet Tubman: Slave Fugitive, UGRR Conductor, Union Spy

Harriett Tubman,  this information is gleaned from the chapter in “Bound for the North Star.  It gives additional information I was not aware of.  For example she went through life with a dent in her head and suffering from some sort of narcolepsy.  This was from an incident when another slave was running away while they were in the grocery store.  The owner picked up a can to throw at the fugitive, missed and hit Harriet Tubman.  She had periods throughout her life when she would suddenly lose consciousness and nod off asleep, and then after a time would wake up without knowing she had been asleep.  She would also wear a bandana to cover the dent in her head because it made her easily identifiable. 

Tubman would use song to communicate with people.  In the songs would be hidden messages.  The promised land was the “North”.  She escaped slavery in 1849 but following the north star.  Her husband refused to go with her.  However she could not totally enjoy her freedom without her family.  She became familiar with people on the Underground Railroad, and with this knowledge returned to the South to help her family.  She first helped her sister Mary Ann and her children, and then made more trips for other family members, and others not from her family.  As she made rescue after rescue, the slaves began to call her Moses.  She would usually leave with slaves Saturday evenings, when they were less well guarded.  She would often borrow the buggy and horses of slave owners.  This way she earned the knick name “Old Chariot”. 

If a runaway would become fearful, and want to return, this would jeopardize the entire party.  Tubman would pull a loaded pistol she kept in her pocket and threaten the fugitive, “You go on or die!”   This way she helped many who would have gone back to slavery.  “Go Down Moses” was her fighting song.  If she were to sing it several times, it would let fugitives she might be picking up know that the coast was clear.  If she sang just once and then stopped, there was trouble afoot and people would stay hidden.  For someone observing they would just see a little old lady (one of her favorite disguises). 

She was so successful she was able to help over 300 men women and children escape slavery.  Some of the last were her own elderly parents.  There was a reward of $40,000 placed on her (about $800,000 in today’s money).  Harriet took no thought of this, feeling God would protect her, and if it was her time to go then so be it. 

Harriet’s exploits did not end with helping people reach freedom.  She was also active in the Civil War, spying for the North.  She scouted, and then directed the raid up the Combahee River in South Carolina.  This raid freed more than 700 slaves.  This has been called the only military in U.S. history planned by a woman. 

Her post Civil war days were lived in poverty.  She remarried, and nursed her husband who suffered from tuberculosis for 20 years.  She was always poor, because she was always giving to others.  She had a final dream, a home for elderly.  She accomplished this, and this is where she died in 1913.

Movie Review: Harriet Tubman: Family History Classics

Nest Entertainment produced this animated historical film using the talents of Richard Rich.  This is generally an accurate portrayal of Tubman's exploits.  She was truly a hero.  She was a slave, who ran to freedom, and then returned to slave country to rescue her family and others.  There were a couple changes I would like to have seen.  One of the characters shows a map of the underground railroad.  I do not think any such map would have been used as people did not want to leave such physical evidence.  Above all the system was secret, and each person would do their bit, but avoid knowing too much about the next person.
I also would have changed the music.  I understand Tubman would sing "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" to let people know she was around, and that conditions were good to make a run away.  This presentation had a syrupy modern song.  The original African music would have been more appropriate. 
The presentation points out the Tubman made 17 dangerous trips into slave territory, even when there was a $40,000 reward on her head.  She brought over 300 people to freedom.  She was known as Little

Moses to the slave community. The film ends showing them taking this picture when she was 93 years old.