"North star" Harriet Tubman made a general at Veterans Day event
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Harriet Tubman. Photo: Universal History Archive/Getty Images
Harriet Tubman, the first U.S. woman to lead an armed military operation during a war, was posthumously promoted to brigadier general during Veterans Day commemorations in Maryland Monday.
The big picture: Maryland Gov. Wes Moore paid tribute during a ceremony at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center in Dorchester County to the abolitionist who led an armed expedition in the U.S. Civil War that resulted in more than 700 enslaved people being freed.
- "She continues to be our north star towards justice," Moore said at the event promoting Tubman to brigadier general in the Maryland National Guard.
- "Today, we celebrate a soldier and a person who earned the title of veteran," he added. "Today we celebrate one of the greatest authors of the American story."
State of play: Military leaders joined descendants of the now one-star general for the ceremony, which saw Tubman's great-great-great-grandniece Ernestine "Tina" Martin Wyatt receive the commissioning proclamation on her behalf.
- "Harriet Tubman's military service was defined by her bravery, wit and dedication to doing what is right, and it truly stands as an example for all veterans to emulate," Maryland Adjutant Gen. Janeen Birckhead said.
- "I am so proud that her legacy will officially be tied to the Maryland National Guard, as she was born here, lived here and served here."
Zoom in: Tubman, who was born in 1822 and lived to be 91-years-old, is best known for her role as a conductor in the Underground Railroad, a network of antislavery activists and safe houses.
- She worked for the Union Army as a cook, nurse, scout and spy during the Civil War and was later involved in the suffrage movement for women, minorities, the aged and people with disabilities, per the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway's site.
Go deeper: U.S. Mint releases Harriet Tubman coins
