How Harriet Tubman Stayed Prepared For The Unexpected
Black History Year
PushBlack
4.6 • 2.2K Ratings
🗓️ 24 August 2025
⏱️ 3 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Harriet Tubman was a fearless leader who stayed ready, so she didn’t have to get ready. She never left home without this one crucial “trick” up her sleeve. Hint: It’s more dangerous than you may think.
_____________
2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work.
The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith and Len Webb. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Lilly Workneh serves as executive producer.
To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Harry Atenman was a fearless leader who stayed ready, so she didn't have to get ready. |
| 0:09.0 | She never left home without this one crucial trick up her sleeve. |
| 0:13.0 | Here's a hint. It's more dangerous than you may think. |
| 0:17.0 | I'm Len with Push Black, and this is two-minute black history, what you didn't learn in school. |
| 0:23.6 | Harriet Tubman always kept that thing on her. |
| 0:38.3 | A pistol. |
| 0:40.3 | It protected her and the enslaved people she led from slave catchers. |
| 0:44.3 | You may not expect that she also used it for something else. |
| 0:48.3 | She wasn't afraid to pull her pistol out on those who got cold feet while escaping and wanted to turn back. You'll be free or die, |
| 0:56.7 | she was known to say. Tubman wasn't about to let anyone spoil the mission, jeopardizing themselves |
| 1:02.5 | and the entire group's freedom. There's a deeper message here that has nothing to do with |
| 1:07.8 | violence. We're supposed to hold each other accountable. Often when the topic of |
| 1:14.2 | liberation from oppressive forces arises, folks love to point the finger within our community |
| 1:19.6 | at the need to, quote, stop fighting each other first or at things about black-on-black crime, |
| 1:26.3 | but neither is a prelude to liberation. |
| 1:30.0 | Harriet didn't intend to harm her people. |
| 1:33.0 | Like we must, she knew that holding each other accountable is necessary for liberation. |
| 1:39.5 | Her vision of freedom was so tremendous that she didn't allow anyone around her to give up on themselves |
| 1:45.8 | or each other. |
| 1:55.1 | Remember this. We have the power to do great, unimaginable things when we are unified on one mission and committed to the roles we each play in our collective liberation. |
| 2:13.5 | In order to move towards the future, you've got to look to the past. |
| 2:17.9 | This has been two-minute black history, a podcast by Push Black. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from PushBlack, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of PushBlack and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.