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Audiobook editionPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 84 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 84 pagesAbout this book
She reaches freedom in the North, then returns south again and again to lead others out.
In Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, Sarah H. Bradford follows a woman born into slavery in Maryland who becomes a trusted guide on the Underground Railroad. From childhood in the fields to escape and repeated journeys back, Tubman faces danger not only for her own freedom, but for relatives and others who depend on her.
Tubman’s work reaches beyond the hiding places and helpers of the Underground Railroad. You meet the guide called Moses, then see her serve as a nurse and scout in the Civil War. This short biography also reveals a woman who supports others from very little, presented with the warmth of Bradford’s friendship and admiration.
What you’ll discover
- A childhood in Maryland Meet the child called Minty, whose story begins on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
- The choice to escape Follow Tubman toward the North as the threat of sale shadows her life.
- The guide called Moses Enter a network of hiding places and helpers where people place their trust in Tubman.
- Service beyond the escape routes See another side of her work as a Civil War nurse and scout.
- A friend's admiring portrait Discover Tubman’s generosity toward others, even when she has very little herself.
Who will love it
This book suits readers who love true stories of daring escapes, the Underground Railroad and the Civil War, and anyone who enjoys hearing a remarkable person speak in her own voice.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Witnesses help tell Tubman's story
- Cruelty teaches Minty what slavery means
- Freedom brings a promise to return
- Every rescue depends on staying together
- Joe carries fear toward freedom
- Faith guides choices on the road
- Family love requires careful secrecy
- Tubman also confronts danger in public
- Practical courage connects her different roles
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Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman
by Sarah H. Bradford · 1869
A woman who cannot read walks back into Maryland nineteen times, with a price on her head, to lead people north.
Medium levelUnder 2 hours to read20 languages
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In short
A woman who cannot read walks back into Maryland nineteen times, with a price on her head, to lead enslaved people north. Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman was written by Sarah H. Bradford and appeared in the late 1860s.
Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman at a glance
- Reading time
- About 1 h 45 min1 h 25 min fast, 2 h 5 min slow
- Length
- 25,200 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1869by Sarah H. Bradford
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A plain account built on witnesses
Sarah Bradford opens with a preface that sets her goal. She wants to show that a humble, dark-skinned woman deserves a place beside Joan of Arc and Florence Nightingale. She also has a practical purpose. Tubman supports her elderly parents and two schools for freed people, and the sale of this little book is meant to help.
Bradford knows readers will doubt her. She left out much that others could not confirm. Whenever witnesses with firsthand knowledge were located, they verified the account in full.
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A woman who cannot read walks back into Maryland nineteen times, with a price on her head, to lead people north.
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Details
- First published
- 1869
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 2 h 0 min
- Level
- Medium level
- Paperback
- 84 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 84 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print paperback
- 130 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Large print hardcover
- 130 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Delivery and returns
- Printed when you order. Usually here in 12 to 14 days.Arrives Tue 1 Dec to Mon 7 Decto United States, printed for you at cost
For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
Bradford, Sarah H. Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/scenes-in-the-life-of-harriet-tubman.
Bradford, S. H. (2026). Scenes in the life of Harriet Tubman. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/scenes-in-the-life-of-harriet-tubman (Original work published 1869)
Bradford, Sarah H. Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/scenes-in-the-life-of-harriet-tubman.
@book{bradford2026scenes,
author = {Bradford, Sarah H.},
title = {Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/scenes-in-the-life-of-harriet-tubman},
note = {First published 1869}
}
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What is Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman about?
It tells of Harriet Tubman's life, from her enslaved youth in Maryland to her escape, her rescues of family and others on the Underground Railroad, and her Civil War work as a nurse, scout and spy.
Why was Harriet Tubman called Moses?
She was called Moses because she led so many enslaved people out of the land of bondage, as Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt. Her trips back to Maryland earned her the name among those she freed.
Is Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman a true story?
It is a nonfiction account written by Sarah Bradford in the late 1860s from interviews with Tubman. It includes letters, passes and a newspaper report from people who knew her, offered as proof of her deeds.
The author
Sarah H. Bradford
American biographer and children's writer
Sarah Hopkins Bradford (1818–1912) was an American writer born in Mount Morris, New York. She lived in Geneva, New York. She wrote children’s books and two accounts of Harriet Tubman’s life: Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman (1869) and Harriet, the Moses of Her People (1886).
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