#782 Harriet Tubman, Union Spy: Black History Month

Harriet Tubman's Untold War Saga: The Combahee River Raid - A Riveting Tale of Courage and Liberation

The Not Old - Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series 

Welcome to the Not Old - Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series on radio and podcast. where Black History Month 2024 comes alive through the stories that shaped our world. Today's episode takes us back to a pivotal yet often underrepresented chapter in American history, starring one of its most fearless figures – Harriet Tubman. Known for her indomitable spirit in leading slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad, Tubman's legacy extends far beyond.

In this episode, we delve deep into a crucial and audacious phase of her life – her role during the Civil War, particularly in the Combahee River Raid. This event, not just a mere footnote in history, saw Tubman not only guiding slaves to freedom but actively shaping the course of the war. We're joined by Smithsonian Associate, historian and author Edda L. Fields-Black, a descendant of one of the soldiers who fought in this raid, and a consultant for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Edda Fields-Black's insights, drawn from her book "Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War," along with previously unexamined documents, bring a new dimension to our understanding of this event. She will shed light on how Tubman commanded a network of spies and scouts, and her role in liberating over 750 individuals in a single, daring expedition. Edda Fields-Black will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates coming up so please check out the Smithsonian Associates website for more details, but we have Edda Fields Black today, in honor of Black History Month 2024.

Let’s listen as Edda Fields Black reads a brief passage from her wonderful new book, "Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War,”  harkening back to a time of enslavement and when slaves returned to slave terriorory, a very exclusive club of Harriet Tubman’s brigage.

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