Martin Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman have a lot in common. During their lives, each helped
African Americans to get their freedom. They both had confidence, courage and perseverance. Martin
Luther King Jr. and Harriet Tubman had to have a lot of confidence to reach a common goal. Martin
Luther King Jr. worked to end segregation. Harriet Tubman worked to free slaves by traveling from the
South to the North. They risked their lives for what they believed in and that takes courage. Also, they
did not give up. Harriet Tubman made many trips through the Underground Railroad to get more than
300 people out of slavery and Martin Luther King Jr. did many marches, speeches and protests.
In Martin Luther King Jr.’s early years, he was one of 3 kids. Harriet Tubman was a slave and the 11th
child. He was the son of a minister. When he was young he saw many signs saying “whites only” and
“blacks only.” He had a white friend and was told that they could not play together. He quickly learned
that he was different. Harriet Tubman’s early years were spent defending slavery. Her given name was
Araminta Ross, and she was often just called Minty. In 1844 she married John Tubman.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s middle years were spent doing many things. He graduated from Morehouse
College and obtained his doctorate at Boston University. He married Coretta Scott and they had 4
children. In Harriet Tubman’s middle years she married Nelson Davis and never had children. At this
point she was helping to free slaves at night by stopping at underground Railroad houses.
In Martin Luther King’s later years he led the famous March on Washington where he gave the I have
a Dream Speech. He worked with the president to help pass the Civil Rights Act and he won the Nobel
Peace Prize. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on April 4, 1968. Harriet Tubman spent her later years
continuing to take dangerous journeys to led slaves to freedom. She also changed her name from
Araminta to Harriet. She was able to rescue her family and buy her parents a home. In her later years,
she worked to help women to gain the right to vote. She died on March 10, 1913 and was buried with
military honors.
Martin Luther King Jr. had many accomplishments. He led peaceful protests which helped to end
segregation. He was selected as Time Magazines person of the year in 1963 and has been awarded at
least 50 honorary degrees. There is now a national holiday honoring his work. Harriet Tubman’s
accomplishments included freeing hundreds of slaves at great risk to her own life. Also during the Civil
War she worked as a Union spy. Also she worked with Susan B. Anthony for women to obtain the right
to vote. In 1903 she donated land to be used as a home for "aged and indigent colored people". On
June 23, 1908 the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged opened. Today Harriet Tubman is viewed as one
of the greatest leaders in American history.