Dinner With a "Criminal" by katherine

Dinner With a "Criminal" by katherine - February 2016 Scholarship Essay

When googling historical figures to brainstorm for this essay, I was shocked to see a long list of mostly white men. In our modern society, which encourages both gender and racial equality, we ignore the extraordinary women who have helped to progress society to where it is today. Harriet Tubman was one of these women, which is why I’d love to have dinner with her.
She broke the law by transporting fugitives and acting as a leader in an illegal network. However, if she hadn't broken the law, we wouldn't be the nation we are today. Harriet Tubman impacted the future of the United States by providing aid to thousands of enslaved Africans, influenced future leaders such as Rosa Parks, and inspired movements for women’s suffrage and the abolition of slavery.
If I were to have dinner with Harriet Tubman, I’d ask her if the end justifies the means. Today, breaking the law is frowned upon, however I would love to ask Harriet if there are exceptions to this rule, meaning, if it is right, in order to achieve justice, to break the law. This discussion is relevant today as we still see injustice. Racial and gender inequality are still present, even in subtle ways like including mostly white males on lists of influential figures, and I believe Harriet Tubman would have great insight regarding how to achieve justice and equality.