A very special event is happening here in Harriet Tubman Country Saturday, Sept. 7. A Day of Resilience will be the official ribbon cutting for the Harriet Tubman Mural, as well as an event to recognize and reflect on the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into bondage in North America in 1619 at Jamestown. The trans-Atlantic slave trade forced more than 12 million Africans from their homes to work on plantations and in mines in other countries.
Here’s a rundown of events, most of which happen in Cambridge, Maryland.

12pm: Drum call, pouring of libations, dance and spoken word at the Dorchester County Courthouse, which had been the site of slave auctions in the 1800s (It’s also Stop #3 on the Tubman Byway). 206 High St.

12:25 pm: A processional, “The Healing Journey,” from the Courthouse to the Harriet Tubman Mural, several blocks away at 424 Race St.

1pm: Harriet Tubman Mural dedication featuring drumming, guest speakers, and ribbon cutting with the artist Michael Rosato, Dorchester Chamber of Commerce, Maryland State Arts Council, and special guests.

1:45pm: A luncheon for visiting dignitaries at the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (Stop #5 on the Tubman Byway), 424 Race St., with local restaurants, vendors and food trucks serving the general public.

After the ribbon cutting, there will be several afternoon events happening simultaneously:

2pm: 7th Annual Remembrance Ceremony at the Cambridge Marina. Souls at Sea is an on-water libation and remembrance ceremony commemorating the lives lost in the waters along the Middle Passage.

2:30pm: Constituency for Africa (CFA)’s Harriet Tubman Town Hall Meeting on Africa at Waugh United Methodist Church, 425 High St., will feature Keynote Speaker Dr. Julius Garvey (son of Marcus Mossiah Garvey, the founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA)) and Linda Thomas Greenfield, former assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, as moderator. A panel will feature three ambassadors from Africa:

  • Ambassador Mahamadou Nimaga, Embassy of the Republic of Mali
  • Ambassador Monica N. Nashandi, Embassy of the Republic of Namibia
  • Ambassador Frederic Edem Hegbe, Embassy of the Republic of Togo

3pm: The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, about a 20 minute drive from Cambridge, will provide a ranger-led introduction tour to the park. It is located amid the landscapes where Harriet Tubman lived and toiled. The Tubman Visitor Center is open until 5pm.

5:30pm: The Gathering at Cannery Way will allow everyone to reflect on the day and continue the celebration of Harriet Tubman. Vendors, music and food will be available.

Shuttle services will be available.

The event is being organized in part by Alpha Genesis Community Dev Corporation and Dorchester Center for the Arts.

Watch for updates on the Facebook event page.