West held his first presidential campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, and spoke about his thoughts on abortion, his relationship with Adidas and Gap and more. He also sparked backlash after comments about the achievements of abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman, who helped free enslaved Black men and women in the 1800s using the Underground Railroad. West got shouts of opposition from the South Carolina crowd when he said Harriet Tubman “never actually freed the slaves, she just had them work for other white people.”
Harriet Tubman made 19 trips along the Underground Railroad to free over 300 enslaved people between 1850-1860. She once had a $40,000 ($1.2 million in 2020) bounty on her head. She carried a pistol on her for protection from slave catchers and slaves who wanted to turn back.
