Harriet Tubman was born into slavery in Maryland in 1820. She was separated from her family as a child and forced to work long hours with little rest on a plantation. Tubman never received a formal education. Instead, her career involved freeing hundreds of slaves through her work on the Underground Railroad. She led dozens of missions as a conductor to guide slaves to freedom, despite facing the risk of capture. Tubman also served as a nurse during the Civil War and continued advocating for civil rights as an activist.