A 13-foot bronze sculpture of Harriet Tubman titled “Beacon of Hope” stands outside the Dorchester County Courthouse, not far from where she lived as an enslaved person. It was dedicated on the fourth annual Day of Resilience on September 10th, 2022, in a special ceremony attended by Tubman’s descendants, Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Boyd Rutherford, artists, historians, and many people from the community. The sculptor Wesley Wofford created it; he sculpted another sculpture of Tubman titled the Journey to Freedom, which has been on display in several locations across the US since January 2020. Wofford depicts Tubman in two ages in her life. As a young enslaved girl and an iconic leader rescuing enslaved people from slavery. Old Tubman’s right-hand holds the north star. The star that led her north to freedom and the symbol she became to others as their leader. She reaches her left hand to her young self, handing her a shackle key that also symbolizes a key to her inner self. The shackles of slavery and an oxen yoke surround both of them. The old Tubman climbs above the oxen yoke, lifting herself, the same as when she lifted herself from slavery and has become an inspiration for others to lift themselves. The following is the full artist’s description: “Araminta Ross was struck in the head with a scale counterweight at the Bucktown General Store, an injury she attributed to her having visions. In many ways, this event marked the beginning of Harriet Tubman’s own storied journey toward freedom which resulted in the liberation of hundreds of other enslaved people. As young Araminta lifted herself from the ground, she had a vision of the strong woman she would become. The sculpture depicts Harriet reaching down to help her younger self up and offering her a key to remove the shackle from her little arm. Also, with this “generational key” Araminta unlocked her inner strength to forge her own destiny: the rebirth of Araminta Ross as Harriet Tubman. The oxen yoke is a metaphor for the yoke of slavery and Harriet crushes this broken obstacle to the point of snapping it. It also illustrates Dorchester County’s legendary story of young Minty single-handedly steering a team of oxen for her father. The piled shackles and chains depict all of the lives adversely affected by the scourge of slavery. The open shackles represent those freed by Harriet while the locked ones depict those left behind. The closed manacles also symbolize the unfinished work ahead of us essential to achieving a just and equitable future for all. While Harriet used the North Star to navigate out of bondage, she then became the compass that rose to the thousands of enslaved who followed her guiding light to Freedom.” Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) was born enslaved on a large plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland. In 1949 she escaped and traveled by foot, mostly at night, to Delaware and then north into Pennsylvania, where she became free. Tubman became a conductor on the underground railroad and traveled to Maryland 13 times to help more than 70 people to freedom, among them her family members. During the civil war, she served in the union army as a cook, nurse, spy, and scout, helping more people to freedom. After the war, she continued advocating for equal rights for African Americans and supported the women’s suffrage movement. Tubman is unofficially a Maryland heroine and is one of the most depicted women in the US. Click here to explore more places about Tubman in the area or join a guided tour. Read more...

On February 10th, 2020, in the capitol’s Old House Chamber, the same room the Maryland emancipation took place in November 1864, the statues of Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were dedicated. The sculptures depict them as they would have looked in 1864 when witnessing the ratification of a new constitution that abolished slavery in Maryland. The room was restored to the 19th-century era, showcasing exhibitions of Maryland during and after the civil war. Ivan Schwartz, from StudioEIS, created the statues; it is the same studio that created Anne Frank’s sculpture in New Orleans. Tubman and Douglass were born enslaved on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, escaped to freedom, and became national leaders working to abolish slavery and advocating equal rights and women’s suffrage. There are many differences between the leaders; while Douglass was a well-known author, orator, and public figure, Tubman worked behind the scenes, assisting many individuals to their freedom privately. Tubman’s statue is one of the first statues of black women that stands inside a state Capitol building. In November 2022, Nellie Stone Johnson’s statue was dedicated to the Minnesota Capitol. Read more...

The local museum is celebrating the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman. Tubman was a former slave who lived and grew up on the Brodas Plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, during the first half of the 19th century. She escaped slavery and returned 19 times to rescue more than 300 people from slavery – taking part in the Underground Railroad activity. The museum showcases several exhibits as well as a short movie about her. Make sure not to miss the magnificent Harriet Tubman mural by Michael Rosato, located in front of the museum. The idea to commemorate Tubman’s in the area was of a local historian, Addie Clash Travers. Travers gathered the community to establish the Harriet Tubman Organization, Inc in 1983. Their mission “is to develop programs and services for children and families and to preserve the history and memory of Harriet Tubman by offering the general public an interpretive history of her achievements.” Read more...

A 7-foot-tall bronze sculpture of the abolitionism icon Harriet Tubman, known to all as the “Moses of her people.” Tubman was a key figure of the Underground Railroad system, which led hundreds of slaves to their freedom after escaping slavery and freeing herself. The sculpture is standing in front of the Teacher Education and Technology Center at Salisbury University, tens of miles from where Tubman was born in Dorchester County. It was unveiled on September 22nd, 2009. Created by Dr. James Hill, who worked on this project with the university’s art department students for four years. The sculpture depicts Tubman walking forward while looking behind to the people she is leading from slavery to freedom. On her shoulder stands an owl, symbolizing Tubman as a freedom fighter, while the rabbit standing in front of her is symbolizing her intuition, alertness, progress, and ability to conquer fear.   Read more...

A statue of Billie Holiday, an iconic Jazz singer and one of the most prominent vocalists of all time. Holiday, also known as “Lady Day,” grew up in Baltimore, had to face many difficulties in her life. She was a child of teenage parents, was raped at the age of 10, worked as a prostitute, and struggled with addiction. Despite it all, she became a renowned singer influencing the music industry to this day. The eight-foot six-inch tall bronze statue, created by James Early Reid, was first dedicated in 1985, then it was placed on a simple cement base. It took 24 years for the statue to stand on an appropriate pedestal, and on July 16th, 2009, it was rededicated. In honor of her life and legacy, the statue depicts Holiday in the midst of performing, wearing a strapless evening gown, with a gardenia flower in her pulled-back hair. Her life story is engraved on the granite pedestal as well as two sculptural panels – one inspired by the lyrics of “God Bless the Child,” shows a newborn baby; the other, inspired by the lyrics of “Strange Fruit,” shows a man after been mutilated, referring to the lynching during the Jim Crow era.   Read more...

Although Delaware was the last state abolished slavery among the northern states, it was a crucial crossroad of the Underground Railroad. The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway in Delaware is named after Harriet Tubman – a former slave who was a conductor at the Underground Railroad and helped enslaved people to escape from their owners to their freedom. The approximately 98 miles scenic Byway route through Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania is rich in history and amazing stories of runaway slaves and the people who helped them. The Delaware byway begins where the Maryland Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway ends at Willow Grove Road, nearing Sandtown, Kent County. Visit the historic sites associated with abolitionists activities, Railroad conductors and travelers to learn about the Underground Railroad Movement. Read more...

Clara Barton National Historic Site was the home of Clara Barton – an educator, a pioneering nurse during the American Civil War, and the founder of the American Red Cross. Barton dedicated her life to helping people in their time of need, and her house is a reflection of her determination to do so. Barton’s home is the first national historic site dedicated to a woman’s accomplishments. When entering this 18th-century house, you feel like stepping back in time. During the tour through the rooms, you can see original period furnishings, such as a birdcage, a sitting bath, antique telephones, and Barton’s China set. This house was more than a home; it served as the headquarters of the American Red Cross in its early years. By visiting the Red Cross offices and the secret supply closets, you can gain a sense of the challenges of humanitarian work and medical care in a time of crisis. Children can enjoy a scavenger hunt in the house, and in the gift shop the adults can check out souvenirs and books relating to Clara Barton and the Civil War. Read more...

Within a two hour drive from WDC into the beautiful landscape of the eastern shore of Maryland located a national historical park named after Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a network of secret runaway routes and safe houses supported escaping slaves to states which abolished slavery as well as to Canada. A 480-acre park commemorates the story and lifework of Harriet Tubman, a former slave, an abolitionist, and a conductor of the Underground Railroad before the American Civil War. After escaping slavery herself, Tubman risked her life to help enslaved people to escape to the north and their freedom. The National Historical Park preserves the landscapes and waterways that Tubman used to free herself and others. The park is one of the stops in a 125 miles byway, a remarkable route encapsulating many milestones of Tubman and the slaves life in the area, such as the places where she grew up, slave auction block, abolitionists gathering spots, and other significant sites related to the slaves’ life and the Underground Railroad. One of the most interesting stops is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, where one can watch the introductory film, see videos and dioramas, and explore the exhibits. You can also stroll the legacy garden and enjoy the picnic facilities. More in the area: Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center and the Mural of Tubman in Cambridge, MD. If you would like to explore the area on a guided tour, Harriet Tubman Tours in Cambridge, MD, operates three or six hours tour, exploring the area. Read the details here. Harriet Tubman Byway Route of 125 miles covering 30 points of interest related to Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Tubman statue in Salisbury. Read more...