Harriet Tubman has been making the rounds in social media this week following comments made by rapper Kanye West. West on Sunday denounced and criticized the record of historical figure Tubman in his first event since he declared himself a presidential candidate in November’s general elections.
In a tirade, in which he touched on topics from religion, abortion, and international trade, West claimed the Underground Railroad conductor “never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people.”
His controversial comments have since received backlash, followed by a tweetstorm of fact-checks about the abolitionist and civil rights activist.
Born Minty (Araminta) Ross in 1822 to a family of slaves, Tubman was a key figure of the Underground Railroad, a large movement in North America consisting of several individuals who worked together to aid slaves in their escape from their captors.
A post this week commending her said she “made 19 trips along the Underground Railroad to free over 300 enslaved people between 1850-1860. She once had a $40,000 ($1.2 million in 2020) bounty on her head.”
Indeed, Tubman helped free slaves while risking her own freedom, but the figures mentioned in the post and even repeated in other journals, are “exaggerated”, shrouding the real story of Tubman and her significant contributions.
Here are some myths about the daring abolitionist who was set to become the new face of the $20 bill:
Meet father-son duo John and Joshua Johnson; they are behind a multi-million-dollar furniture and interior…
Drake suffered a major gambling loss on Saturday night after betting $565,000 on Tyson Fury…
Deion Sanders recently revealed why he rejected a shoe brand deal from the British Knights…
Renowned Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley has refuted allegations of sexual assault brought against him by…
Kelli Higgins was offered admission to many esteemed universities, including the University of Pennsylvania, Yale…
Authorities in Arizona announced the arrest of a convicted sex offender who allegedly faked his…
Embattled music executive Sean “Diddy” Combs took to social media on Sunday to issue an…
The true face of Amenhotep III, the pharaoh who ruled ancient Egypt at its zenith…
Derrick Hayes is the founder of Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks, one of the fastest-growing businesses in…
After a challenging academic path, Ron Lewis Jr. is on track to graduate with a…
It has emerged that singer Beyoncé made sure Vice President Kamala Harris experienced the magic…
Two months ago, an attacker fatally stabbed 11-year-old Jayden Perkins as he attempted to defend…
Cardi B has spoken for the first time on the guilt she felt canceling her…
A'ja Wilson is one of the top women's basketball players and an athletic hero. Before…
Cur'Dericka Rice has made headlines after receiving nearly $1 million in scholarships from 13 universities.…