What’s in a Name?

“Harriet!” Mother called. “I need your help making chili sauce.”

Nine-year-old Harriet sauntered into the kitchen and plopped down at the table. She was in a bad mood. “Why did you name me Harriet?” she asked, with annoyance. “I hate it. I wish you’d named me Angel Puff or some cute name.”

Mother looked up from slicing the green peppers. “Because I wanted you to have a name you’d be proud of. You were named after Harriet Tubman, one of the greatest ladies in history.

“Really?” Harriet sighed. Now not only was she annoyed, she was bored too.

“She was born in Maryland about 1820. Her parents were slaves and worked in the fields. She was one of 11 children. They lived in a log cabin, ate cornmeal mixed with water and cooked over an outdoor fire.”

Harriet scooted her chair closer to Mother.

“When she was about 6, she was sent to work inside her master’s house. One day she took a sugar lump from the table. She knew she’d be whipped, so she ran and hid in the pigpen. She stayed there four days and fought with the pigs for food scraps.

“Later, she was forced to check the muskrat traps by wading into icy water. Her clothes were thin and she got very ill. By age 10, she was working in the fields on a farm near Bucktown, Maryland. Slaves worked from sunrise to sunset. If they didn’t work hard enough, they were whipped.”

“Oh, no, that’s so mean,” Harriet said.

“Yes, honey, slavery was a terrible thing. When Harriet was about 15, a slave named Jim ran away.

“The overseer chased him into a store. Harriet followed. Jim leaped toward the door, and Harriet stood aside so he could escape. She yearned to be free too.

“In 1844, Harriet married a man named John Tubman, but she didn’t stop thinking about running away.

“One night, she wrapped bread in a cloth and stole away. A white woman gave Harriet the names of friends who would help her journey north to freedom. Folks who helped slaves escape were part of the Underground Railroad.”

“What’s that?” Harriet said.

“It was not a real railroad but was the name given to a group of people who believed slavery was wrong. They wanted to help the slaves by offering safe places to hide and by giving them food.

“People in the Underground Railroad hid her in attics, cellars, barns or wherever she’d be safe.

“At last she arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she was free. No one in the north owned slaves.

“Harriet was so happy to be free. She helped many other slaves escape”

“Wow!” Harriet exclaimed.

“OK, Angel Puff, I told you I need help making this chili sauce.”

“The name is Harriet,” Harriet answered sternly. “In fact, when I grow up and get married, I hope I have a little girl so I can name her Harriet.”

Mother smiled.

To learn more about Harriet Tubman visit nyhistory.com/harriettubman/, harriethouse.org/ and harriettubman.com/.

February is Black History Month.

For more Kids’ Reading Room, visit latimes.com/kids.