Which abolitionist and former slave is known for escaping to the North in 1849 and aiding others via the Underground Railroad?

• A. Frederick Douglass
• B. Sojourner Truth
• C. Harriet Tubman
• D. Angelina Grimké

Answer: (C)

The main idea is identifying the abolitionist who was a former slave, escaped to the North in 1849, and then actively helped others reach freedom through the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman fits this description exactly. She escaped from a Maryland plantation in 1849 and returned repeatedly to lead friends, family, and other enslaved people to freedom, earning the nickname “Moses” for her daring missions. She is credited with making about 13 rescue journeys and guiding roughly 70 people to safety, sometimes risking capture or death on every trip. Her work on the Underground Railroad cemented her as a central figure in the anti-slavery movement.

Frederick Douglass was also a former slave who became a leading abolitionist, but his escape occurred earlier and he primarily worked as a speaker and writer rather than operating as an Underground Railroad conductor. Sojourner Truth was another former slave and powerful advocate, known for her speeches, not for leading Underground Railroad missions. Angelina Grimké was a white abolitionist from a slaveholding family who advocated for abolition and women’s rights, not a former slave.