Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People

In this first entry in the “Significations” series edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr., National Book Award winner Miles (history, Harvard Univ.; All That She Carried) explores the faith and devotion of abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor Harriet Tubman. Tubman was born into enslavement in 1822 as Araminta “Minty” Ross. As a child, she suffered a severe head injury when an overseer threw a lead weight at her, leaving her with lifelong seizures, pain, and episodes of unconsciousness. Vivid dreams and visions instilled within her a spiritual awareness and a steadfast devotion to God. Tubman’s connection to the natural world and unwavering faith made her an extraordinary guide for people seeking freedom. She was comfortable in nature, and her confident navigation and belief in a higher power helped her lead herself and others from bondage. Following the end of the Civil War, Tubman devoted her life to caring for those less fortunate. Janina Edwards’s narration is pitch-perfect, and her clear passion for her subject enhances Miles’s gorgeously written account. Listeners will be rapt, hanging on every word about this remarkable woman.