Harriet Tubman was born into enslavement in 1822 and was never formally educated. She could not read or write until late in life. Due to the oppressive laws and racism of the time, she was not able to attend school. However, she possessed an extraordinary spirit of resilience and bravery, and despite her adversity, she taught herself. She developed a strong survival instinct which allowed her to become an abolitionist and suffragette. She fought for the freedom and civil rights of African Americans and women in the United States.