We meet Marie, a woman born free in the North, about halfway into Harriet. She operates an inn that doubles as a place to help escaped slaves that are ushered into free society by Still. Marie takes Harriet in and teaches her to dress and act like a free woman and helps her find a job. During one pivotal, heart wrenching moment in the movie, Marie plays a huge role in protecting Harriet from bounty hunters spurred on by the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which allowed them to take slaves back to the South. It's enough to make a person hop on the internet to learn about the real woman behind the heroic character, but as it turns out, she's merely a representation of the sorts of people who helped Tubman with her work.