Harriet Tubman’s Legacy of Performance and Freedom Explored in New Biography

National Book Award-winning author Tiya Miles delves into the captivating history and mythos surrounding the iconic figure of Harriet Tubman in her latest release titled ‘Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People’, published by Penguin Press, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

Within the pages of this book, Miles illuminates the art of delivery that Harriet Tubman mastered in her courageous endeavors to grant freedom to enslaved individuals. Tubman’s ability to embody various personas and personas to deceive captors was nothing short of an art form in itself.

As Harriet traversed the forests and hidden paths, she expertly disguised herself as different characters, adopting personas that ranged from a simple chicken owner to an elderly woman with a hunched back. Each interaction became a performance where Tubman skillfully played the role her audience expected – reinforcing the stereotype of a Black person confined to servitude to elude detection.

During the late 1850s and early 1860s, Tubman honed her acting and storytelling skills, crucial for her dual task of outwitting slave hunters and earning the trust of both enslaved individuals seeking freedom and anti-slavery supporters providing funds for her missions.

Many of the intricately detailed narratives about Tubman’s extraordinary feats were tales woven by Tubman herself, shared with eager listeners who transcribed these accounts with varying degrees of accuracy. In her retellings, Tubman strategically addressed multiple agendas, aiming to inspire donations, boost the spirits of her fellow abolitionists, emphasize her conviction in divine guidance, and secure the financial backing needed to establish safe havens for those in need.

Beyond these altruistic motivations, a mix of creative ambition and the desire for personal recognition fueled Tubman’s storytelling. She yearned to shape her own narrative, claim acknowledgment for her achievements while attributing them to a higher power, and take charge of the evolving story of her life that began to circulate towards the late 1850s.

Harriet Tubman’s unwavering determination to assert her independence not only through her actions but also through her words portrays a captivating legacy of resilience and defiance against the oppressive constraints of her time.