During Black History Month, one of the names that is constantly brought up is Harriet Tubman. She is the face of the empowered enslaved African American, because with the help of the Underground Railroad she made at least 19 trips back into slavery to help free hundreds of slaves. As this story is retold and repeated she becomes an idea, a fable, some mythical heroine. But with the help of the National Museum of African American History and Culture and esteemed collector/author Charles L. Blockson, her story is verified with these actual artifacts.

39 artifacts to be exact, including “framed portrait, one of the few photographic images of Tubman known to exist; a beige silk and linen shawl given to Tubman by Queen Victoria; three postcards depicting Tubman's funeral in 1913; and her wooden-handled knife and fork.”

"My ancestors escaped with Harriet Tubman," Blockson told the audience on Wednesday. The artifacts came to him from Mariline Wilkins, a great grand-niece of Tubman. "I was shocked," said Blockson, 76, when he was notified a few years back that he had been willed the materials. "Then I prayed and put them in a vault. Then I put them under my bed and her spirit was with me.
"I decided they belong here," Blockson said.
( Via: Washington Post)

With this artifacts people can piece together who Harriet Tubman was, they can learn about her life after slavery as a Union nurse and spy; or her work as a spokeswoman for racial and women’s struggles.

It’s almost unbelievable that these items still exist. In her personal hymnal, one of the artifacts, you can actually see her signature. As a supporter and constant participant of Black History Month the story of Harriet Tubman was slowly becoming trite (mainly because schools and programs stick with the same few influential black people). But this brings her story to life.

Pictures of the artifacts are here.