Resistance

While in this store, a young adolescent Harriet witnessed an enslaved young man fleeing his overseer. He darted from his master's control. In the turmoil, Harriet defied a direct order to help restrain the young man. It was her first known public resistance to slavery, and she paid a heavy price. In a rage, the overseer hurled a 2-pound weight at the enslaved young man. The missile struck Harriet in the head instead. The trauma affected her for the rest of her life. The resulting injury aroused a spiritual link with God. This conviction emboldened her to lead enslaved persons to freedom.

Maryland · United States