• Cultural Calendar
Honoring the Courage and Legacy of Harriet Tubman

In 1990, Harriet Tubman Day was finally enacted as a national holiday on March 10 by the United States Congress as a gesture to celebrate her heroic work in freeing slaves as well as toward the abolishment of slavery in America.

As it was for thousands of others born into slavery, Harriet Tubman’s date of birth was unknown. She is believed to have been born in March, at some point between 1820 and 1822, to Benjamin Ross and Harriet Green, on a plantation in Dorchester Country in New Maryland. Her birth name was Araminta ‘Minty’ Ross—she did not change her name to Harriet Tubman until after her first marriage.

Harriet’s early life was grim; she began work as a house servant at around age 5, and by age 12, she was assigned to work in the fields. In her early teen years, she attempted to protect a field hand from the anger of an overseer, who threw a two-pound weight that instead hit Harriet on the head, instead, causing an injury that would affect her for the rest of her life.

Even in her adolescence, Harriet Tubman exhibited both courage and passion, fighting back against her enslavement just as her mother had once done, and running away many times in early attempts to escape, following the stars and preparing herself by wearing layers of clothing as potential protection against beatings.

Harriet married a free Black man around 1845, taking his name and changing her name to Harriet in honor of her mother. She became a free woman at last in 1849, when, fearing that she and other slaves were about to be sold, she finally succeeded in escaping from the plantation. Once free, she then spent the next ten years tirelessly working to free other slaves on the Underground Railroad, making 19 trips back into the South that wanted her enslaved or dead in order to escort slaves to newfound freedom.

Disregarding her own danger, Harriet Tubman was a brilliant strategist in her dedication to help former slaves to reach safety. She frequently used the master’s own horse and buggy in the first leg of the journeys, but even more importantly, planned the escapes so that departure took place on Saturday evenings – a canny move, as runaway notices could not be placed in newspapers until two days later on Monday morning. She also turned south whenever encountering fellow travelers to avoid suspicion if encountering possible slave hunters, and even carried a gun for keeping those who wanted to turn back in line. Her words to them were stark and blunt: “You’ll be free or die.”

Harriet was tireless, rescuing over 300 former slaves – including, eventually, her own parents. As she noted to Frederick Douglass himself, she had never lost a single passenger.

In her work for the Union, Harriet Tubman was a rescuer of slaves who also worked as a cook, a nurse, and even as a spy. After the end of the Civil War, she settled down in Auburn, New York, where she would live until her passing in 1913, at more than 90 years of age.

Learn more about Harriet's incredible life and legacy at https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/10/us/harriet-tubman-timeline-trnd/index.html.

Archive

Colleague AI Event 2025

Colleague AI is an innovative educational platform featuring AI assistants that serve as knowledgeable colleagues for educators and friendly learning companions for students. Our purpose is to create dynamic, collaborative, and personalized educational experiences for everyone, so check out Puget Sound ESD’s upcoming Colleague AI professional learning opportunities!

Read More about Colleague AI Professional Learning Opportunities This Spring
AI Innovation Summit Takes Place February 3–5, 2025

Explore the power of artificial intelligence in K-12 education! Whether you’re new to AI or already implementing it, the AI Innovation Summit Feb 3-5 offers the opportunity to come together to gain knowledge and explore strategies. ESD 121’s EdTech Coordinator, Trinh Pham, is presenting multiple sessions at the AI Innovation Summit on February 3–5, 2025.

Read More about AI Innovation Summit Takes Place February 3–5, 2025
Recognizing Our School Boards in January!

As ordinary people who come from all walks of life, School Board members work on a volunteer basis to both support students and represent their communities when it comes to public education. Each school board brings together a group of members working together with the common goal of helping students to learn, grow, and overcome the challenges as well as the triumphs of their educational journeys. Our school board members often face many complex and demanding challenges, especially across the past few years as they supported our educators and students in meeting the hurdles of COVID and lockdown. January is School Board Recognition Month, which gives us the opportunity to thank and recognize their efforts.

Read More about Recognizing Our School Boards in January!
Puget Sound Educational Service District Receives $1.75 Million Grant to Advance Educator Diversity and Equity Across Puget Sound  

PSESD, in partnership with a diverse coalition of school districts, higher education institutions, and community organizations, has been awarded a transformative $1.75 million grant from College Spark Washington to focus on increasing educator diversity and promote racial equity in Washington's educational landscape. 

Read More about Puget Sound Educational Service District Receives $1.75 Million Grant to Advance Educator Diversity and Equity Across Puget Sound  
National School Lunch Week Celebrates the Difference a Simple Lunch Can Make

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves nearly 30 million children every school day, providing the essential basic nutrition that contributes to student success and teacher support. President John F. Kennedy created National School Lunch Week (NSLW) in 1962 to promote the importance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life, as well as the impact a simple school lunch can have both inside and outside the classroom.

Read More about National School Lunch Week Celebrates the Difference a Simple Lunch Can Make