The Combahee River Raid: Harriet Tubman's Greatest Mission

In June 1863, Harriet Tubman became the first woman to lead a major military operation in American history. The Combahee River Raid freed over 700 enslaved people in the South Carolina Lowcountry — most of them Gullah Geechee.

The raid was a turning point in the Civil War. It proved that Black soldiers could fight and win. It also showed the Union that the Gullah Geechee people were ready to fight for their own freedom.

Our Season 1 documentary covers the Combahee River Raid in detail. Our books trace the history of the river and the communities along it.

Watch the Combahee River Raid documentary →