There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad-free.

Listen with Wondry Plus in the Wondry app.

As a member of NoisorPlus at noisor.com or in Apple Podcasts,

or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts at IntoHistory.com.

Yeah. It's April 27, 1860, outside a courthouse in Troy, New York. On the courthouse steps, a quiet black woman wearing a bonnet stands among a furious crowd.

Half the people here back slavery.

The other half are abolitionists. But the woman, Harriet Tubman, remains calm among the frenzy.

Instead of joining in with a shouting and abuse, she watches the courthouse door patiently.

Harriet is waiting for a man named Charles Nall. Born on a plantation

in Virginia, Charles escaped slavery two years ago and traveled north. In the past, enslaved men and

women who managed to cross into northern states were considered free. But thanks to the

fugitive slave act of 1850, now all escapees are considered outlaws for life,

and northern states are obligated to return them to their enslavers.

This is what is about to happen to Charles Knoll unless Harriet can stop it.

The courthouse doors open and Charles appears.

He's handcuffed and limp, held between two stern police officers.

Immediately the crowd surges forward. The police officers strike out with their batons, forcing the crowd back.

Then they muscle Charles down the stairs toward a carriage waiting to carry him back to Virginia.

But as the officers pass Harriet, she makes her move.

In a flash, she launches herself at one of the officers, sending him tumbling down the steps.

Following Harriet's lead, the rest of the abolitionists rush in and wrestle the other officer to the ground.

Harriet then jumps to her feet and grabs Charles.

...