I remember learning about her in history. She was black. She was a woman. She was told she was nothing more than property. That she'd always belong to a man. Now we celebrate over a hundred years later like she truly deserves.
Harriet is the film depiction of the journey of Harriet Tubman. The female heroine of the Underground Railroad and one of the most notable historical figures in American history. This depiction of her shows her faith, perseverance, and strength in a way that made me cry multiple times.
This movie is history so it's already been spoiled.
Slavery has been shown in many movies in many ways. Not every one has been quite accurate. The most common is an inclusion of the white-savior troupe in which there is less focus on the character development based on history and more on societal standards. This movie is different. The focus was not just on Harriet, but her attitude. How she affected people. The type of faith Harriet had as she crossed a river without knowing how to swim, is the type of strength we all wish. In one scene while escaping with her family, Harriet's older brother was afraid to cross the river, yet there was no other exit. Ready to abandon Harriet's plan, Harriet gathered her skirt and walked across the river. She had faith in herself. In her God. Her fight to free the people that she loved and the people that deserved it was quite beautiful. Harriet, after becoming free, first went back for her husband, but after being apart for a year, he had taken another wife. Harriet was not prepared to help her family, but she did not turn them away. She lost someone she loved, but she found something just as powerful.
The movie had a great focus on development. Her attitude and faith changed the many people who worked on the railroad. She inspired. She empowered. She fooled the many that would call her "evil" because she was herself. Even her allies were hesitant at first in her efforts, but she showed them the way. I found this not only inspiring but necessary. Slavery is more than cruel, it's inhumane. Surviving is amazing. Harriet was a miracle. Years of torture. Years of torment. She stood on her own two feet. She lost many and she continued. It's a lesson that is sadly overlooked in the classroom. A hero that is not in a comic or only on a screen. She is real. She is in our history and should be taught. I believe this movie should be shown in every classroom. To every girl. To everyone.
Harriet Tubman was one of the only women in American history to lead an armed battalion. She saved hundreds on the underground railroad. She fought in both the Civil War and for the women's right to vote. Harriet is a beautiful depiction of how when the world treats like nothing more than a piece of meat, there is a star than can lead to something better. Something beautiful. Harriet Tubman lived to age 91 and died among the people she loved the most. She had a tragic and cruel beginning, out of her hands, but she changed it and made it beautiful.
