Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom

(eerie music)

NARRATOR

On September 17, 1849 leaving her husband John behind, Harriet Tubman stole away into the night with her two brothers, Ben and Henry. Oh, Run Run Mourner, Run, Bright Angel Above Oh, Run Run Mourner, Run

NARRATOR

As soon as Eliza Brodess found that they were gone, she posted a reward for their capture.

ED BAPTIST

Ran away from the subscriber on Monday the 17th. Three Negroes named as follows. Harry, aged about 19 years. Ben, aged about 25 years, is very quick to speak when spoken to. Minty, aged about 27 years, is of a chestnut color, fine looking at about five feet high. 100 dollars' reward will be given for each of the above named Negroes, Eliza Ann Brodess near Bucktown, Dorchester County, Maryland. That ad is what we call a runaway ad. This is one of between 100,000 and 200,000 such ads that were placed before the end of slavery.

FARAH GRIFFIN

It's a lie when they said people just accepted slavery and didn't resist because they're a genre in and of themselves. Bright angel above... They tell us a great deal about the owners, what the owners valued, what the owners found problematic. Some of them will talk about their...someone's arrogance or someone's concern with their appearance or someone's feistiness. Escape for your life...

ED

But I think, they were effective. The vast majority of runaways were recaptured. Oh, Run Run Mourner, Run Bright Angel, Above Oh, Run Run Mourner, Run Bright Angel, Above If I just had to wait, Bright Angel, Above If I just had to wait

CHERYL LAROCHE

The ways to deter escaping are, there's a long list. Bright angel above... There is of course, death, whipping, and of course, being maimed. You know, they cut your Achilles tendon. They cut off your toes. There are those slave collars that are put on with the long prongs that get caught in the-in the shrubs and in the thickets. There's ball and chain. There's branding. People get branded, an R on their cheeks. Escape for your life... So, there are multiple deterrents. Escape for your life, Bright Angel...

GERARD ACHING

Enslaved people are living within situations of racial terror. And that is physical and psychological, that it may not have happened to you, but you've seen it happen to others. And in that-that spectacle, that's part of the racial terror. To communicate to everybody on the plantation that you don't cross certain boundaries. I fly away to the Kingdom Bright Angels Above

CHERYL

When Harriet and her brothers escape, her brothers began to fight with her about the dangers ahead and they weren't sure about the direction. And she says, "They dragged her back." (somber music)

NARRATOR

By returning, she faced sale to the Deep South, severe whipping, or death. But Tubman didn't stay long. Within days, she set out again, alone. This time there would be no turning back.