Beyond the Underground

By Joyce Stokes Jones and Michele Jones Galvin
For the first time, descendants of Harriet Tubman tell the story of the famed abolitionist within the context of their family lineage. This creative nonfiction work is an intricate mix of family lore, memoir, and historical reconstruction. It captures the lives of the family and friends of the Greatest Conductor of the Underground Railroad in a way that separates it from academic works. The book depicts a family, from which an American heroine is born, that survives slavery, gains freedom, and begins the journey of creating a new life beyond the shackles of human bondage. The saga tells the story of seven generations of women of African descent tied by bloodline to Harriet Tubman. Harriet, herself, is showcased as an ordinary woman who did extraordinary things. Tubman was an abolitionist, liberator, and humanitarian whose service to others was a testament to her values of commitment to faith, family, fortitude, and freedom.