Harriet Bell Hayden facts for kids
Harriet Bell Hayden (born 1816, died 1893) was an amazing African-American activist who worked hard to end slavery in Boston, Massachusetts. She and her husband, Louis Hayden, were super important leaders of the Underground Railroad in Boston. They also helped with the plans of John Brown to free enslaved people.
Harriet's Early Life
Harriet Bell was born in Kentucky in 1816. Around 1842, she married Lewis Hayden. Lewis had been separated from his first wife and children because they were sold to another slave owner. Harriet had a son named Jo, and Lewis adopted him after they got married.
On September 28, 1844, after careful planning, the Haydens bravely escaped from their plantation in Kentucky. They traveled all the way to Canada to find freedom. A kind person named Reverend Calvin Fairbank helped them escape. Sadly, he was arrested later for helping them and was sent to prison. By 1846, the Haydens had moved permanently to the Beacon Hill neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts.
Helping Others on the Underground Railroad
Once they settled in Boston, Harriet and Lewis started using their own money to help other Black people escape from the Southern states and find freedom in the North. Harriet opened a special boardinghouse in their home. This was a safe place where she housed and protected hundreds of people who had escaped slavery. It's said that they "harbored 75 percent of all slaves passing through Boston," which means they helped a huge number of people!
After a law called the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was passed in 1850, it became even more dangerous for escaped slaves. But Harriet bravely managed Boston's main Underground Railroad operations. She was key to guiding people through Boston's secret tunnel system. Other famous people who fought against slavery, like Frederick Douglass and William Lloyd Garrison, praised Harriet and her husband for their amazing efforts.
A frequent visitor to the Hayden's home was John Brown. Between 1857 and 1859, Brown stayed with the Haydens and shared his plans to help enslaved people gain freedom. Harriet and her husband helped to raise money to support his efforts. People also whispered that the Haydens kept barrels of gunpowder in their home. This was a symbol of their strong determination to protect anyone seeking freedom who stayed with them.
Harriet's Lasting Impact
Harriet Hayden passed away from pneumonia in her home in 1893, when she was 74 years old. After her death, Harriet left all of their money, which was about $5,000, to start a scholarship at Harvard University. This scholarship was created to help Black medical students at the Harvard University Medical School pay for their education. This scholarship is still used today, and Black students continue to benefit from the kindness and legacy of the Haydens.
Harriet's home at 66 Philips Street is now a national historic site. It is also a stop along the Black Heritage Trail, which is a path through the Beacon Hill neighborhood that visits many important African American history sites. Even though it's a historic site, the home is still a private residence, so it's not open to the public.
