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Harriet Tubman Posthumously Honored as Brigadier General
On Veterans Day, Harriet Tubman was posthumously awarded the rank of Brigadier General in the Maryland National Guard. The ceremony was held at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Maryland’s Dorchester County.
Tubman, who escaped slavery herself in 1849, became a revered abolitionist. She established the Underground Railroad network and led enslaved individuals to freedom. She later served as a scout, spy, and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War, helping guide Black soldiers on a gunboat raid.
Governor Wes Moore emphasized the significance of the occasion, stating that Tubman was a “soldier and a person who earned the title of veteran.” He also praised her as “one of the greatest authors of the American story.”
Tubman’s great-great-great-grandniece, Tina Wyatt, participated in the symbolic pinning ceremony. Wyatt hailed Tubman’s legacy of resilience, generosity, and faith, saying that she gave up her own freedom to fight for others.
Tubman’s status as an icon has grown in recent years. A bronze statue is being created for Philadelphia, and a Chicago elementary school was renamed in her honor. However, plans to feature her on the $20 bill have yet to materialize.