Harriet Tubman’s Life in Pictures

Webinar Details

Harriet Tubman’s life has been documented through photographs, portraits, illustrations, and works of art that reveal new perspectives on her remarkable legacy. Although Tubman could not read or write, she recognized the power of visual images, and used photography to support her abolitionist work, preserve personal relationships, and shape public understanding of her life.

This webinar explores the many ways visual representations of Harriet Tubman illuminate her life, activism, and enduring influence. Participants will examine photographs, portraits, and later artistic interpretations as historical sources while considering how images shape public memory and historical understanding. Educators will gain strategies for using visual evidence to help students analyze Tubman’s life and legacy through inquiry, historical interpretation, and primary source analysis.

Instructor: Jasmine Nichole Cobb (NHC Fellow, 2025–26), Professor of African American Studies, Duke University