The African American woman known for her work with the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman. Born into slavery in Maryland around 1822, Tubman escaped to freedom in 1849. Rather than remaining in safety, she risked her life to lead other enslaved people to freedom via the Underground Railroad—a network of secret routes and safe houses. Over the course of her life, she is estimated to have rescued around 70 individuals. Tubman became a symbol of courage and resistance against bondage, later also working as a spy and nurse during the Civil War. Her legacy endures as an icon of the fight for freedom and equality.