Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist who was born into slavery in Maryland in 1822. She is best known for her role in the Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses used by enslaved African Americans to escape to free states and Canada. Tubman was also an armed scout and spy for the Union Army during the American Civil War. After the war, she became an activist for women's suffrage. Tubman was an inspirational figure in the struggle for civil rights and her legacy continues to be celebrated today.