By 1847 the city maintained a population of twenty thousand blacks, only a small percentage of them being native born (47). To fugitives, Philadelphia was a safe haven. “It not only became a beacon for fugitive slaves but also an important mecca for black reformers in nineteenth-century America” (Clinton 48). In Philadelphia Harriet was able to enjoy basic things that she wasn’t able to do in Maryland. As perfect as Philadelphia sounded, Harriet was still in danger. As a fugitive, Harriet assumed a new identity to avoid getting caught and brought back. She changed her name from Araminta to Harriet, her mother’s name, but kept her husband’s name. Thus Harriet Tubman came into play. Determined to save her family members and any other slave willing to come along, Harriet got involved with the
By 1847 the city maintained a population of twenty thousand blacks, only a small percentage of them being native born (47). To fugitives, Philadelphia was a safe haven. “It not only became a beacon for fugitive slaves but also an important mecca for black reformers in nineteenth-century America” (Clinton 48). In Philadelphia Harriet was able to enjoy basic things that she wasn’t able to do in Maryland. As perfect as Philadelphia sounded, Harriet was still in danger. As a fugitive, Harriet assumed a new identity to avoid getting caught and brought back. She changed her name from Araminta to Harriet, her mother’s name, but kept her husband’s name. Thus Harriet Tubman came into play. Determined to save her family members and any other slave willing to come along, Harriet got involved with the