 listening library presents ordinary people change the world I am Harriet Tubman by Brad Meltzer illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos read for you by January Lavoie and an ensemble cast I am Harriet Tubman do you know what the North Star is it's one of the brightest stars in the sky unlike other stars which may seem to move the North Star always stays where it is when you find it it'll show you which way is north today people know my name as Harriet Tubman but when I was born I was called Araminta or Minty I was the fifth of nine children born in Maryland around 1822 when's your birthday I don't know how can you not know your own birthday it's because I was enslaved back when I was growing up in certain parts of the country if you were black you were most likely enslaved we didn't have a choice being enslaved meant we were forced to work without pay we were treated terribly I cut my hand I don't care keep working can we have water no keep going we lived in tiny shacks with no windows we slept on the floor or in boxes filled with straw as kids we had to wear sacks and they certainly didn't celebrate our birthdays or keep records of when we were born worst of all being enslaved meant we were property no different from a horse or a piece of furniture that meant my family my mom and dad included was owned by someone else they could sell us and they did well where are my sisters going our owner sold them they'll have new owners now please don't let them take us slaves were supposed to do whatever our owners told us to the next time they came though my mother was ready someone wanted to buy my younger brother she had asked other slaves to help her hide my brother in the woods for neat sample complete ready to continue