Last Saturday the City of White Plains in New York celebrated the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Harriet Tubman by unveiling the statue “Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom.” This work is currently travelling the region and will be in White Plains until June 30, 2022.
Two Members of Congress spoke at the unveiling ceremony. According to The Examiner:
Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-17) highlighted that the United States is currently at a moment of reckoning with its origin story, the legacy of violence and what it wants to be moving forward.
“I’m so proud to serve this community that strives to display that history in all of its complicated beauty and sorrow,” Jones said. “What a joy it is to bring such a powerful symbol of that history right here in New York’s 17th Congressional District.”
Jones added that the statue’s corresponding event series will serve as a reminder of Tubman’s legacy.
“Let us take inspiration from stories like hers, stories of people who will stop at nothing to achieve freedom for all,” Jones said.
Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-16) shared that when asked who is one of the most amazing Americans in U.S. history or his top civil rights leader, Tubman comes to mind immediately.
“Harriet Tubman risked her life multiple times to free my ancestors,” Bowman said. “She freed the slaves who were stolen from their land, robbed of their religion, their culture, their language, their music, their very soul.”
While underscoring that Tubman is a hero who fought for and represents so much, Bowman also stressed as a country there was much further to go — particularly for Black and Brown communities.
“We are still fighting for so much, and we continue to struggle in that fight because we do not have enough allies and co-conspirators,” Bowman said. “So I ask you, White Plains, Westchester County, New York State, who are our co-conspirators? If we are going to reach the ideals of our democracy and Constitution, we need every single man, woman and child to be a co-conspirator.”
Tubman’s great-nephew Abdul Tubman noted that the statue is aptly named because the struggle for freedom still exists, especially at a time when there is an active movement to ban American history — particularly the history of slavery and oppression — from being taught in schools.
“This beautiful work of art is a reminder that she’s here within all of us seeing our progress, as well as how far we still have to go toward freedom and acceptance,” Tubman said. “We as a demographic and as a nation are fractured but not broken. We’re here today at this unveiling in a celebration of a remarkable woman cemented into the fabric of American history.”
Tubman lived much of her life after her escape from slavery in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. Her Auburn, N.Y. home is now a unit of the National Park Service.
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Wonderful posting! Thank you for quoting me!! Historically, we as a demographic have given and continue to give so much and receive little to no recognition.
Thank you for your efforts to keep our history in front of us!