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N E N T

OUSING: Harriet

TUbman's Last Work

BY SANDRA EDMONDS CREWE, PH.D.

Harriet TUbman (1820-1913) is widely known for ber passion and leadership in

the Underground Railroad. However, less is known about her contributions as a houser—a per- son committed to raising the quali- ty of life through improving availability of and access to shelter for low-income families and indi- viduals. This article celebrates TUbman's legacy and highlights her accomplishments in the field of housing and supportive services. She was a pioneer in these fields- much of what she conceptualized and implemented in the nine- teenth century is still being prac- ticed today. Most importantly, her attitude—that bringing someone to freedom is not enough, you some- times have to take care of, empow- er and teach to take care of themselves as well—is one worth thinking about.

Harriet TUbman was bom

Araminta Ross around 1820, on the Brodas plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was one of eleven children bom into slavery to parents Benjamin Ross and Harriet Green (Old Rit) in a windowless cabin on Maryland's eastern shore. Wben she was 13, an overseer frac- tured her skull while attempting to hit an enslaved man fleeing for freedom. The injury resulted in a lifetime disability called somno- lence, which caused her to abmptly drift off to sleep at random times.

In 1849, TUbman escaped from slavery with the assistance of the Underground Railroad, and sought asylum in Philadelphia. Once freed, as was customary for many former enslaved persons, Araminta assumed a new name—that of her mother Harriet. In the early 1850s, she began working as a conductor with the Underground Railroad that helped bring her to freedom. She reportedly rescued more than 300

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6 Journal of Housing & Community Development

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enslaved people during 19 jour- neys, including some of her own family members.

Since the Fugitive Slave Act made it unsafe for former slaves to live in the United States, Tlibman used Canada as her base during those years. She later resettled in Auburn, N.Y, a major station of the Underground Railroad. In 1857, William Seward, governor of New York and a strong supporter of TUbman's, presented her with the deed to a house in Auburn. 1b avoid any appearance of charity, she asked to make a small regular series of payments, and later paid off the mortgage from $1,400 in proceeds from the sale of a book about her life: Sarah Bradford's 1869 Scenes in the Life ofHcmiet Tiihnian.

One of TUbman's most remark- able accomplishments was escort- ing her aged parents to freedom. Shortly after Tlibman moved to Auburn, her father, then in his sev- enties, was awaiting trial for help- ing a fellow enslaved African. So, in 1857, at the age of 37, Harriet engi- neered the escape of both of her parents. Biographer Earl Conrad described the daring plan as an event in Underground annals. "It was significant, not only because rarely did aged folks take to the Road, but also because Harriet car- ried them off with audaciousness and an aplomb that represented complete mastery of the Railroad and perfect scorn of the white patrol. Her performance was that, at once, of the accomplished artist and the daring revolutionary."

TUbman's rescue of her parents is perhaps the beginning of the for- mal documentation of her commit- ment to housing for older and less-fortunate persons. She moved her parents to her home in Auburn, where she cared for them for near- ly 30 years (both her mother and father lived to be centenarians). She also took in others who found themselves in need of shelter and

8 Journal of Housing & Community Development

O P I N I O N C O M M E N T

care. In her biography, it was recorded that she wanted her last work to be devoted to caring for those for whom she had already risked so much.

During the Civil War, TUbman served the Union Army in various capacities. Though surviving docu- ments are unclear about the exact nature of her involvement, we know this much: for four years she worked tirelessly as a nurse, spy, guide and general supporter of the soldiers and newly freed men and women. Though she received no remuneration for her service dur- ing these years, she managed to take care of herself and those she cared for and about.

After the war, Tlibman returned to her Auburn home and continued to care for her aged parents. Disabled by injuries and somno- lence, she experienced difficulties providing for both her needs and those of her elderly parents as well as the other kinfolk, refugees, and boarders who became her depend- ents. In the preface of Sarah Bradford's 1886 biography Harriet, the Moses of Her People, Tlibman's household was described as "...very likely to consist of several old black people bad with rheuma- tiz, some forlorn wandering woman, and a couple of images of God cut in ebony. How she man- ages to feed and clothe herself and them, the Lord best knows. She has too much pride and too much faith to beg."

In her seventies and suffering from prolonged and frequent bouts of somnolence, Tlibman made another bold move. In 1896, more than 40 years after escorting her parents to freedom, TUbman, at the age of 76, purchased property across from her Auburn home: two houses on 25 acres of land for $1,450 at auction. She obtained the

Site didn't just rescue people; she filso tidied to house

mid eare for the oppressed and the mdnerahle.

money through a loan secured by mortgaging the new land. This she referred to as her "last work," Her target audience was "anyone in need." She wanted to provide a refiige for the young and the old, the sick and the healthy, and the blind and the sighted, and to make meaningfiil the promise of freedom by caring for those unable to care for themselves.

During the decade that TUbman managed the home, she lived next door, oversaw the property and the care of its residents, and continued to support it from her fanning oper- ations. In other words, she was a housing manager In this capacity, she underwent many of the trials and felt many ofthe triumphs of her modem day counterparts—the struggle to find funding, the diffi- culty of socially integrating resi- dents from different age groups and with differing ability levels, the feel- ing of achievement at being able to make ends meet or watching the home grow.

Like many modem-day housing practitioners, TUbman also recog- nized the importance of providing housing and care while pushing towards self-reliance and avoidance of unnecessary dependency. Tlibman found it both prudent and necessary to engage residents in self-help activities—today we would label these efforts self-sufficiency and micro-enterprise initiatives. She used her own money to erect a

wash-house and taught freed women to do laundry to avoid rely- ing on governmental aid; residents also helped to grow their own food. Also, the more able among them cared for the infirm—a caregiving approach that has some parallels to today's assisted housing and inter- generational initiatives.

But these tactics were not enough to support the home finan- cially, and TUbman soon found her- self in a funding shortage that is probably familiar to many housing practitioners. By the mid-1890s, TUbman was forced to appeal to her church, the Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church, offering to serve min- isters in exchange for assistance. She also continued to receive sup- port from her white antislavery supporters. This reportedly caused some friction with the AME Zion clergy, who advocated self-help within the black community. In 1903, Tlibman signed over the land and her home to the AME Zion Church, in an agreement that stipu- lated that she would have a lifetime deed and that the place would be maintained as a home for indigent and aged black people. The home opened in 1908, and housed 12-15 persons of all ages and conditions. A joint venture with the church had made her dream a reality. Tbbman moved into the home in 1911 and stayed until her death in 1913. She was buried with military honors and received widespread acknowledgements of her good works and compassion.

The Tlibman home is still in existence today, and is a national historic landmark that serves as a tangible reminder of its founder's the humanitarian vision. Then-First Lady Hillary Clinton designated the Harriet TUbman Home as one of "America's TYeasures."

10 Journal of Housing & Community Development

Lessons Learned Harriet TUbman's life is a portrait of courage and selfless dedication. After being belped to freedom, she also belped many otbers, reported- ly assisting more tban 300 enslaved people attain tbeir own freedom. Sbe didn't just rescue people; sbe also tried to bouse and care for tbe oppressed and tbe vulnerable: tak- ing tbem in, teaching tbem new skills, identifying tbeir strengtbs, and providing services aimed at tbeir particular needs. Most impor- tantly, Hariett TUbman promoted self-reliance and self-belp as impor- tant privileges of freedom.

Harriet TUbman was also an advocate. Sbe recognized tbe need to gain support from tbe baves for

tbe needs of tbe bave-nots, position- ing tbis as a social responsibility ratber tban a request for bandouts. Wbile sbe was known to demand assistance based on principles of equality and wbat was just and rigbt, sbe never assumed tbe pos- ture of "begging."

Altbougb sbe never asked for berself, Tlibman never grew weary of asking otbers to support ber wor- tby causes. Her life is ricb witb examples of sucb supporters and partnersbips, wbicb also transcend- ed racial, gender, geographical, and faitb differences. Despite the racial tensions of ber time, sbe took belp from everyone, regardless of race, gender, or faith affiliation—as when she chose to take tbe assistance of

botb ber wbite supporters and tbe AME Zion cburcb. Sbe included all wbo wanted to belp in ber cause. Otber freedmen, like Fredrick Douglas and William Still, as well as Sarab Bradford, wbo autbored two books about TUbman, were also invaluable contributors to tbe mis- sion.

Another important supporter was a Quaker by tbe name of Tbomas Garrett. Tbe proprietor of a large sboe establisbmcnt, Garrett ensured tbat freedom seekers were fitted witb new sboes for tbeir jour- ney and provided tbem witb addi- tional belp to ensure tbeir well-being. Thougb be was tried twice for assisting freedom seekers, and had to sell all bis possessions to

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pay his fine at the age of 60, he pro- claimed his intent to continue to be of service to those seeking freedom.

Though Harriet TUbman is some- one that housing and CD practition- ers would do well to look up to and emulate, her achievements as a houser are fairly unknown and deserve more attention. We can begin to correct this oversight with special initiatives that honor her legacy—awards, scholarships, and other tributes carrying her name that recognize individuals and organizations who have demonstrat- ed courage and resilience in meet- ing the housing and supportive

services needs of our communities. Most importantly, we can do so by continuing in her tradition of caring for and about individuals who need housing and other forms of assis- tance. She did not look down upon those in need, but rather offered them a hand up. As housing and community development officials and practitioners, we can be encour- aged by her strong will, determina- tion and ultimate success, despite the tremendous obstacles of her times. In the words of Catherine Clinton "...her past remains before, all around us, and urging us, in her own words, 'Keep Going'."

Harriet TUbman Timelime 1820 Born in Dorchester, Marylond

1844 Morried John Tuhmon

1849 Escaped from slavery to Philodeiphio

1850 Storted as conductor for Underground Railroad

1857 Purchased home in Auburn, New York (six acres) to core for her aged parents

1857 Plonned and executed her parents escape from slavery

1863 Civil War service as a nurse, spy, scout, procticol teacher

1867 John Tubmon (first husband) died

1865 Returned home after Civil War to core for parents

1869 Married Nelson Dovis, disabled Civil War veteran

1871 Benjomin Ross (fother) died

1880 Addressed a Rochester Susan B. Anthony suffragette convention

1890 Applied for Cvil War veteran's pension

1892 Nelson Davis (second husband) died

1896 Purchased 25 acres of land (or home for aged

1896 Helped to found the National Association of Colored Women (NACW)

1897 Congress authorized small hilt providing small widow's pension for life

1900 Gronted $20 per month widow's pension for wartime services

1903 Deeded the land and her home to Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church

1911 Moved to the Tubnran Home to receive core

1913 Died March 10,1913 in Auburn, New York, Harriet Tubmon Home

2003 Posthumously awarded pension balance for military service (Sen. Hillary Clinton)

Selected References Bradford, S. (1901). Harriet, the Moses of her people. New York: George R, Lockwood [reprint)

Clinton, C. (2004). Harriet TUbman. New York: Little Brown and Company.

Conrad, E. (1943). Harriet TUbman. Washington, DC: Associated Press.

Harriet Tlibman. http://www.harriettubman.com

Harriet TUbman Home for the Aged (March 30, 1998). fetrieved: http://www.crnps.gOv/nr//pw wtravelwmh/nyl3.htm

Harriet TUbman Home http://www.nyhistory.com/har riettubman/ Retrieved 1/15/05

Humez, J.M. (2003). Harriet TUbman. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press.

Janney, R. P (1999). Harriet Tlibman. Minneapolis, Minn: Bethany Press.

Martin, E.P & Martin, J.M. (2002) Spirituality and the Black helping tradition in social work. Washington, DC: NASW Press.

Oberlander, H. P & Newbnm, E. (1999). Houser: Catherine Bauer. Vancouver: UBC Press.

Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D., is NAHRO's vice president of professional development. She is an associate professor for Howard University and teaches in the School of Social Work and

Groduate School of Arts and Sciences. She is olso on the NAHRO faculty where she teaches Resident Leadership. She can be reached at 202-806-7320.

12 Journal of Housing & Community Development