22 12, 2020

Christmas Eve Walk commemorates escape

2021-09-07T10:07:28-04:00

The organization Camp Harriet is hosting a special Christmas Eve walk to commemorate the Christmas Escape of 1854, when Harriet Tubman returned from freedom to Maryland to lead her brothers Ben, Robert, and Henry out of slavery. The 15-mile walk will begin at 3pm on Dec. 24 at Faith Community United Methodist Church (Stop #21 on the Tubman Byway) in East New Market, Maryland. All are welcome. The group will walk to the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (Stop #5) at 420 Race Street in Cambridge, Maryland.

>> Watch this news segment from 47 ABC.

>> For the latest updates, check the We Walk With Harriet Facebook page.

Christmas Eve Walk commemorates escape2021-09-07T10:07:28-04:00
9 11, 2020

Tubman Visitor Center, Museum re-open to public

2021-09-07T10:07:51-04:00

The Harriet Tubman Underground Visitor Center in Church Creek, MD, and the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center in Cambridge, MD, have both re-opened to the public. They had been temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tubman Visitor Center (Stop #13 on the Tubman Byway) currently has limited hours (10am-4pm, Thursday-Sunday) and advance reservations are required (reserve here). Masks are required for everyone over age 5. Admission is still free. The Tubman Museum & Educational Center (Stop #5 on the Tubman Byway), home to the “Take My Hand” mural, is open Tuesday-Friday, 12-3pm and Saturday 12-4pm; but it’s best to call first at 410-228-0401. Bucktown General Store remains temporarily closed. Several other of the 30+ sites along the Tubman Byway in Maryland are still accessible, as they are outdoor sites with signage. Learn more at HarrietTubmanByway.org.

Tubman Visitor Center, Museum re-open to public2021-09-07T10:07:51-04:00
2 10, 2020

Harriet Tubman statue on display through Oct. 11 in Cambridge, MD

2020-10-02T19:01:40-04:00

The Harriet Tubman statue created by the Wesley Wofford Sculpture Studio remains on display at the courthouse in Cambridge, Maryland, through Oct. 11. The 9-foot, 2,400-pound bronze sculpture, “Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom,” is temporarily installed at the Dorchester County Courthouse at 206 High Street. There is talk of raising funds to bring a permanent sculpture to the area; watch for the latest on the Tubman Byway Facebook page.

The sculpture, “Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom,” depicts Tubman confidently leading a slave girl on the Underground Railroad to freedom. Wofford, the creator of the statue, said, “There is a lot of embedded symbolism within the narrative of the piece. The contours of the base represent the Maryland/Delaware Peninsula, where Harriet was enslaved, eventually escaped, and continued to return for her freedom raids. The dramatic step up/cut is the Pennsylvania state line, and they are stepping out of the slave states to an elevated freedom. The dress is enveloping the young girl, billowing protectively like a flag, and is meant to represent all the legal protections afforded every United States citizen-a symbol of the future equality to come. Each hand on the sculpture signifies an attribute: Determination, Protection, Fear, and Trust. The slave girl is leaning out to get a better look at where Harriet is taking her with a look of trepidation on her face. She is gripping Harriet’s right arm tightly but her delicate finger grasp is cautiously hopeful. The girl is off balance and tentatively taking a step forward-her left foot precariously hanging off a cliff, illustrating the danger and peril of the journey. The shackles are broken and the atrocities of slavery are left forever behind.”

Harriet Tubman statue on display through Oct. 11 in Cambridge, MD2020-10-02T19:01:40-04:00
1 10, 2020

Their 116-mile walk along Tubman Byway may be only the beginning

2020-10-02T19:01:01-04:00

A group of seven women calling themselves “We Walk With Harriet” completed their 116-mile walk along portions of the Tubman Byway in September, walking from Cambridge, Maryland to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. We Walk With Harriet also raised money for two stops along the byway. In late September, they presented a $2,500 check to the volunteer-run Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center (Stop #4) and a $2,000 check to the Stanley Institute (Stop #6). But there’s more. Plans are in the works for Camp Harriet in Dorchester County, Maryalnd (Tubman’s birthplace)which would focus on wellness, history, and more. There are also plans for another walk in October 2021, this time from Kennett Square to Cambridge.
>> Keep up with the latest on the We Walk With Harriet Facebook page.
>> Watch the music video “Walk to Freedom,” created by the group’s leader, Linda Harris.

Their 116-mile walk along Tubman Byway may be only the beginning2020-10-02T19:01:01-04:00
5 09, 2020

Women begin 116-mile walk of Tubman Byway

2020-09-05T09:25:43-04:00

Talented jazz artist Linda Harris and seven other women are beginning a journey to walk the Harriet Tubman Byway, from Cambridge, Maryland, to Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 5. “When I was 6, my father gave me a book about Harriet Tubman,” said Linda in a video about the upcoming walk. “The movie ‘Harriet’ from last year really got me going again about Harriet and how strong she was…. That just impacted me, especially now with the social unrest. I think it’s something that I need to do. I want to walk with Harriet for social justice.”

Linda put out a call for other walkers to join her, and seven signed up from Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, including Dormaim Green of Cambridge, Maryland, where the Tubman Byway begins. The women hail range in age from their 30s to their 60s. They have been training since March to walk in the footsteps of Harriet Tubman. On  Sept. 5, they are beginning at Brodess Farm, a  byway stop  where Tubman spent part of her childhood in slavery, and are walking 116 miles along portions of the Tubman Byway. (Some of the women are pictured here at Brodess Farm during one of their training walks.)

A singer and songwriter, Linda has performed worldwide and will also be performing during the Day of Resilience event on Sept. 12. She has even written a powerful song, “Freedom,” inspired by Harriet Tubman. She hopes to release a video of the song soon. We’ll link to it once that happens.

>> Learn more in this segment from 47ABC.
>> Follow the womens’ journey on the We Walk with Harriet Facebook page.
>> The women have started a GoFundMe page to benefit the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center in downtown Cambridge.

Women begin 116-mile walk of Tubman Byway2020-09-05T09:25:43-04:00
28 08, 2020

Tubman’s legacy to be celebrated at Day of Resilience Sept. 12

2020-09-07T11:27:38-04:00

The Day of Resilience 2020 will celebrate Harriet Tubman’s legacy and more beginning at 12pm on Saturday, September 12, in Cambridge, Maryland, where the road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway begins. Space is limited for most of the events, but the courthouse program will be streamed live for home viewing on the Day of Resilience Facebook page.

Tubman statue

The highlight of the event is the unveiling of a 9-foot, 2,400-pound bronze sculpture, “Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom,” by internationally recognized artist Wesley Wofford. The statue depicts Tubman confidently leading a slave girl on the Underground Railroad to freedom. This sculpture, to be unveiled during a program at the Dorchester County courthouse green (206 High Street, Cambridge, MD) from 12 to 1:30pm as part of the Day of Resilience, will be a temporary outdoor exhibit at the courthouse and will remain on exhibit until October 9.

Wofford, the creator of the statue, said, “There is a lot of embedded symbolism within the narrative of the piece. The contours of the base represent the Maryland/Delaware Peninsula, where Harriet was enslaved, eventually escaped, and continued to return for her freedom raids. The dramatic step up/cut is the Pennsylvania state line, and they are stepping out of the slave states to an elevated freedom. The dress is enveloping the young girl, billowing protectively like a flag, and is meant to represent all the legal protections afforded every United States citizen-a symbol of the future equality to come. Each hand on the sculpture signifies an attribute: Determination, Protection, Fear, and Trust. The slave girl is leaning out to get a better look at where Harriet is taking her with a look of trepidation on her face. She is gripping Harriet’s right arm tightly but her delicate finger grasp is cautiously hopeful. The girl is off balance and tentatively taking a step forward-her left foot precariously hanging off a cliff, illustrating the danger and peril of the journey. The shackles are broken and the atrocities of slavery are left forever behind.” The finale of the unveiling ceremony includes a performance by the award-winning Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble from Camden, NJ.

Town Hall on Africa

After the programming at the courthouse, the Constituency for Africa (CFA) Town Hall on Africa runs from 3 to 5pm. The event will close with a fundraising jazz concert from 6 to 8pm at the Harriet Tubman Mural in Cannery Way (near 432 Race St., Cambridge), featuring Washington, DC jazz artist Linda Harris. Concert is open only to those with advance, paid tickets. See ticket info.

Related art exhibits

Between programming, visitors are invited to view two exhibitions at the Dorchester Center for the Arts: “Portraits of Black Lives Lost: Showing Their Faces, Telling Their Stories” features paintings of those whose lives were ended by racial violence, and is presented by Artists for Justice. A second, “I Am My Sister Dolls” features the culturally iconic handmade doll line of event organizer Adrian Green Holmes. The exhibits will be open from 12 to 6pm at 321 High Street in Cambridge. Guests may also visit the vendor area at Cannery Way from 1 to 8pm.

Day of Resilience 2020 is being organized by Alpha Genesis, CDC with support from the Constituency for Africa (CFA), Dorchester County, and the City of Cambridge.

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Harriet Tubman Museum:
The Constituency for Africa (CFA) begins the 2020 Ronald Brown African Affairs Series at the Harriet Tubman Museum in Cambridge, MD. The virtual Harriet Tubman Town Hall on Africa will be broadcast from the Harriet Tubman Museum from 3 to 5pm. Dr. Julianne Malveaux will be the keynote speaker. Dr. Julius Garvey, the Honorable Robert Dussey, Foreign Minister of Togo, and Izmira Aitch, Legislative Assistant to Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Wis.), are among the panel speakers.

The Town Hall program includes a live creation of a Salt Art portrait by local artist Miriam Moran. This will be a global event on Zoom with participants from across the country and Africa. The building will not be open to the public, however a Zoom link will be provided.

In addition, from 2 to 2:45pm, CFA will organize a meeting for young leaders in Cambridge, the “Youth Ambassadors” and the Bowtie Boys from Houston, TX, to follow up on a similar meeting last year, and the trip to Washington in February by a 30-person youth delegation that visited the embassies of Mali, Ghana, and Rwanda for briefings.

Cannery Way Park:
A jazz concert fundraiser at the Harriet Tubman Mural will feature Washington, DC Jazz Artist Linda Harris, from 6 to 8pm. Harris has performed in France, Sweden, Panama, New Orleans, New York, and South Carolina. She holds fast to the words of Harriet Tubman – “I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to – liberty or death.” In 2020, the walk for liberty continues as Harris and seven other women walk the 125-mile Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway from September 5 to 10, 2020. Harriett’s story motivates Harris in the most amazing ways; she wrote a song called “Freedom” in honor of the journey and will release a music video featuring the video clips from the journey and the Harriet Tubman Mural, “Take My Hand.” During the Sept. 12 concert, Cambridge musician Antone Ennels is the opening artist performing his newly released single “1 Foot.” Concert is open only to those with advance, paid tickets. See ticket info.

For more information, visit AlphaGenesisCDC.org or the Day of Resilience Facebook page.

Please note: both the opening ceremony and closing concert will have limited seating in order to adhere to all social distancing guidelines. Wrist bands, masks and temperature check will be required for each seated event.

For more information, contact info@alphagenesiscdc.org.

Tubman’s legacy to be celebrated at Day of Resilience Sept. 122020-09-07T11:27:38-04:00
7 08, 2020

Take the Tubman Byway Visitor Survey

2020-09-07T11:20:25-04:00

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, Dorchester County Tourism, and additional partners are teaming up to understand how visitors use the 125-mile scenic Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway. Each year people travel from all over the globe to learn about and appreciate the experiences of Harriet Tubman’s life efforts, and the results of this work will show the impact on the area through added tourism dollars and additional community impacts.

Have you visited the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a scenic drive with over 30 historical stops on Maryland’s Eastern Shore? If yes, then we want to hear from you! Please take the survey found here so we can better understand your experience.

We sincerely appreciate your participation!

Take the Tubman Byway Visitor Survey2020-09-07T11:20:25-04:00
14 03, 2020

Tubman Visitor Center, Tubman Museum temporarily closed

2020-07-01T09:32:13-04:00

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park in Church Creek, Maryland (Stop #13 on the Tubman Byway), the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center in Cambridge, Maryland (Stop #5 on the Tubman Byway), and the Bucktown General Store (Stop #17) are closed until further notice. But you can still experience Tubman’s story through the road trip known as the Tubman Byway. This self-guided, scenic driving tour includes more than 30 sites, many of them with outdoor markers or interpretive signs that share the story of that place. Highlights that you can see now include the Harriet Tubman Memorial Garden, Harriet Tubman Mural (exterior wall at the Tubman Museum), and Webb Cabin. Learn more about the sites through our free Map & Guide and free audio guide.

Tubman Visitor Center, Tubman Museum temporarily closed2020-07-01T09:32:13-04:00
20 02, 2020

Harriet Tubman Banquet – POSTPONED

2020-03-14T09:59:39-04:00

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED BECAUSE OF COVID-19. The Harriet Tubman Banquet celebrates the life of Harriet Tubman – a freedom fighter, scout, spy, nurse an abolitionist born here in Dorchester County. The banquet happens on Saturday, March 14, in Cambridge, Maryland.

This year’s theme is “Trials and Tribulations: Araminta ‘Minty’ Harriet Ross Tubman.”

The event runs from 2:45pm to 5:15pm at the Elks Lodge #223 at 618 Pine Street, Cambridge, MD 21613.

The event is sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Organization, Inc., which operates the volunteer-run Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, the place that has been preserving and promoting Tubman’s legacy for more than 30 years. Stop #5 on the Harriet Tubman Byway, it is also home of the Harriet Tubman Mural that was completed in 2019.

Tickets cost $30 per person. To purchase tickets, call Bill Jarmon at 301-221-1732, or the Harriet Tubman Museum (during open hours only; Tuesday through Saturday, 12-3pm) at 410-228-0401.

Consider making it a Harriet Tubman weekend by exploring the Harriet Tubman Byway, a road trip that includes more than 30 sites related to Tubman and the Underground Railroad on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Delaware.

Harriet Tubman Banquet – POSTPONED2020-03-14T09:59:39-04:00
9 02, 2020

Free “Harriet” screening Feb. 13

2020-02-09T18:10:11-05:00

There will be a free screening of the movie “Harriet” at 1pm on Thursday, Feb. 13 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek, Maryland (Stop #13 along the Tubman Byway). The screening is happening thanks to AARP and Cambridge, Maryland Mayor Victoria Jackson-Stanley. Starring Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, the movie tells the tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Before the movie, Diane Miller, program manager of the National Park Service Network to Freedom, will discuss Maryland’s place in the Underground Railroad and Tubman’s role.

Free, but registration is required. Call 866-267-8131 or go to aarp.info/harrietchurchcreek2.

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD 21622

Free “Harriet” screening Feb. 132020-02-09T18:10:11-05:00
1 02, 2020

Harriet Tubman Day events March 7 at the Tubman Visitor Center

2020-03-14T10:08:43-04:00

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center in Maryland is hosting a day of special events on Saturday, March 7 in honor of what’s known as Harriet Tubman Day, the day that the Underground Railroad hero died on March 10, 1913.

Enjoy live music, programs by Team Tubman and self-guided activities as they honor the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman during the Year of the Woman. The event is free of charge and all programs are family-friendly.

Music and Ranger-led Programs

African-American Spirituals at 10am in the Pavilion, weather permitting. If it’s cold or raining, the program will occur in the Multi-Purpose Room. Learn about Spirituals in African-American History as National Park Service Superintendent Deanna Mitchell presents on the legacy of spirituals in the United States.

A Musical Journey with Diana Wagner at 11am in the Multi-Purpose Room
Diana Wagner is a sought-after Eastern Shore multi-instrumentalist who specializes in historic and traditional folk and blues music. When Diana is not playing instruments, she is Associate Professor of Education at Salisbury University and serves as a Volunteer Ranger for the Maryland Park Service.

Reading Ranger at 12pm in the Research Library
Meet Ranger Nwakudo in the research library and enjoy stories of Minty’s youth and time on the Underground Railroad.

Songs of Freedom at 1pm in the Multi-Purpose Room
Celebrate freedom through music with Ranger Crenshaw and learn about the songs featured in the Visitor Center and the movie Harriet. Participation is encouraged, bring your voice and a smile!

Mancala! Mancala! Mancala! at 2pm in the Research Library
Join Ranger Crenshaw and learn how to play the board game Mancala! It takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Bring a smile and creativity and create your own game board.

Important Women in Harriet Tubman’s Life at 3pm in the Multi-Purpose Room
Learn about women who were important to Ms. Tubman with Ranger Maszkiewicz including Rit Green Ross (mother), Susan B. Anthony (fellow suffragette) and Sarah Bradford (first biographer).

Self-guided Activities: Available throughout the day

The Life and Legacy of Harriet Tubman: Find out more about the life and legacy of Ms. Tubman, complete the activities and earn a patch!

Sights & Sounds of Freedom: Learn about the art and music in the exhibits, complete the activities and earn a patch!

 

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center is located at 4068 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, Maryland 21622. If you have questions, call 410-221-2290.

Harriet Tubman Day events March 7 at the Tubman Visitor Center2020-03-14T10:08:43-04:00
12 01, 2020

Black History Month events at Tubman Visitor Center

2020-01-28T08:20:08-05:00

In celebration of Black History Month, Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center (Stop #13 along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway) invites everyone to free, family-friendly programs every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in February.

The park, located in Church Creek on Maryland’s Eastern Shore – not far from where Harriet Tubman lived and toiled – is open daily from 9am to 5pm and houses an exhibit hall, immersive displays, a gift store and an information desk. Throughout the month, the park’s expert staff will lead special programs to honor the life and legacy of Maryland native Harriet Tubman and the struggle for freedom that she embodied.

All events listed below are free of charge. Admission to the visitor center is also free. There is a lot more African-American history and to be explored and several other Black History Month events happening in Dorchester County, Maryland. See the full round-up.

Fridays – Feb. 7, 14, 21 and 28:

  • Introduction – 10am, noon and 4pm. Enjoy a ranger-led introduction highlighting the symbolism of the park and visitor center.
  • The Preponderance of Poverty – 2pm. Poverty has been a strain on the lives of most humans throughout history. In this program. Join Ranger Nwakudo to better understand what causes this burden and what can be done about it.

Saturdays – Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29:

  • Mancala! Mancala! Mancala! takes place at 11am. Join rangers and learn how to play the board game Mancala! It takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Bring a smile and creativity and create your own game board.
  • Raptors & Reptiles of Dorchester County at 2pm (February 15 and 29 only). Since Tubman’s time in Dorchester County, the landscape has remained relatively unchanged. Join Ranger Maszkiewicz and Maryland Park Service’s Scales & Tales for a lesson on the natural landscape and native wildlife of Tubman’s time.

Sundays – Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23:

  • Story Time with Mama Mary – 11am. Explore the concept of self-liberation through engaging storytelling and self-reflection with Ranger “Mama Mary” Dennard. Enjoy a moment of meditation and recognition of privileges taken for granted. After being a part of Ranger Dennard’s presentation, we hope you will have an awareness of how far society has come and how far we still have to go.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center, soon to begin its fourth year of operation, has hosted hundreds of thousands of visitors from more than 70 countries and territories and all 50 states. This state-of-the-art, green facility is managed in partnership with the National Park Service.

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD

Black History Month events at Tubman Visitor Center2020-01-28T08:20:08-05:00
4 12, 2019

Learn lost history of Underground Railroad, Civil War, Reconstruction Dec. 5

2019-12-04T08:05:57-05:00

Join historian John Mueller Thursday, Dec. 5 from 10am to 11am for a walking tour — the debut tour for a series of tours scheduled for launch and/or further development in 2020 and beyond — on the lost history of the Underground Railroad, Civil War and Reconstruction in Caroline County.

The walking tour will cover individuals and institutions from the Choptanks, Shadrach Bassett, Frederick (Bailey) Douglass, Harriet Ross Tubman Davis, Patty Cannon, Moses Viney, Alexander Walker Wayman, Perry Bailey, Anna Murray Douglass, Stephen Bailey and family, William Burney, George Alfred Townsend, Henry Augustus Monroe, Dennis F. Groce, Denton Steamboat Wharf, Caroline County Courthouse, Bailey-Wayman School, Union Bethel AME Church and abandoned railroad tracks, real and ephemeral, of the Delmarva.

Tour begins at the Wharves of Choptank Visitor and Heritage Center in Denton and ends at Nich’s Coffee Shop, Third Street, Denton. Tickets are available in advance online at eventbrite.com.

Learn lost history of Underground Railroad, Civil War, Reconstruction Dec. 52019-12-04T08:05:57-05:00
27 10, 2019

Watch “Harriet,” then experience her homeland

2019-11-06T10:47:30-05:00

Have you watched the “Harriet” movie, and now you’re eager to know more about this fearless Underground Railroad hero? One way is to come to Tubman Country on Maryland’s Eastern Shore — the place where Harriet lived the first 25+ years of her life in slavery. Where she forged strong bonds with family. Where she toiled and learned the crucial outdoor skills that helped her escape. Where she started her many missions to freedom. Here you can experience the real (but still remarkable) story, without any Hollywood influence.

Watch the movie and then walk in her footsteps to some of the places mentioned in the film by taking the road trip we call the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, which includes more than 30 sites related to Harriet Tubman and/or the Underground Railroad in Dorchester County and Caroline  County, Maryland. The sites include Bucktown General Store, where Harriet suffered a head injury that caused visions and sleeping spells the rest of her life; Brodess Farm, where she lived as a young child; the grassroots-formed Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center (home of the famed Harriet Tubman Mural, which went viral earlier this year); Choptank Landing, where Harriet led her most daring rescues; and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center, which offers a comprehensive look at all she achieved during her 90+ years.

If you’d like to watch the “Harriet” movie here in Tubman Country, it’s playing at Cambridge Premier Cinemas, located right along the Tubman Byway. See the schedule and buy tickets directly through the theater — click on the date and then click on the movie time to buy tickets. We recommend buying tickets in advance. The theater is located at 2759 Dorchester Square, Cambridge, MD 21613, along Route 50 in the shopping center with Walmart. Watch the “Harriet” trailer.

 

Watch “Harriet,” then experience her homeland2019-11-06T10:47:30-05:00
21 10, 2019

Talks on waterways and the UGRR in Oct. and Nov.

2020-06-26T11:56:38-04:00
Rivers, creeks, bays, and other waterways played an important role on the Underground Railroad, providing a means of escape and a communications network among Black sailors and enslaved people. Learn more at four upcoming talks planned in conjunction with Water/Ways, a traveling exhibit that the Smithsonian is bringing to Cambridge, right along the Tubman Byway, which is a road trip to 30+ places related to Harriet Tubman or the Underground Railroad.

Chesapeake Underground: Charting a Course Toward Freedom

Oct. 19, Nov. 2 and Nov. 23
Vince Leggett, founder of the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, will present “Chesapeake Underground: Charting a Course Toward Freedom.” He will highlight how Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass and other men and women’s lives were shaped by the rivers, creeks and tributaries in this region. He’ll give the talk three times:
  • 2pm on Oct. 19 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (Stop #13 along the Tubman Byway), 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church  Creek, MD.
  • 2pm on Nov. 2 at the Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (Stop #5 along the Tubman Byway), 424 Race St., Cambridge, MD
  • 1pm on Nov. 23 at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High St. in Cambridge, MD. This is also the site of the Water/Ways exhibit.

The Underground Railroad in Dorchester County: Community & Communication on the Water

Oct. 26 and Nov. 9
Join Ranger Angela Crenshaw and learn about the important role that water, communication and community played on the Underground Railroad in Maryland and participate in a lively discussion and family-friendly activity. The program will be held two times:
  • 2pm on Oct. 26 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (in Church Creek, MD, Stop #13 along the byway),  4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church  Creek, MD.
  • 2pm on Nov. 9 at the Water/Ways exhibit at the Dorchester Center for the Arts, 321 High St. in Cambridge, MD. This is also the site of the Water/Ways exhibit.
>>For more about the Water/Ways exhibit, go to VisitDorchester.org/WaterWays.
>>Photo here by Kate Clifford Larson.
Talks on waterways and the UGRR in Oct. and Nov.2020-06-26T11:56:38-04:00
15 10, 2019

Frederick Douglass walking tours Oct. 19, 20

2019-10-15T13:16:58-04:00

Learn more about abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass and his connections to Maryland’s Eastern Shore during walking tours on Oct. 19 and 20. The tours include several stops that are part of the Harriet Tubman Byway.

SATURDAY, OCT. 19

Take a closer look at the lost local history of the Shore through modern and antiquarian perspectives on Saturday, Oct. 19 from 9am to 2pm with local walking tours which include the Dorchester and Caroline County court houses, Long Wharf, Denton Steamboat Wharf, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and Waugh Chapel in Cambridge.

The tour of Cambridge will include visit to Harriet Tubman Mural at the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center at 424 Race Street downtown.

Tour will include walking tour of Cambridge followed by bus transportation to Denton for a walking tour. Bus will return to Cambridge where late lunch at Snapper’s Waterfront Cafe is voluntary.

Learn connections that Frederick Douglass maintained to communities in Cambridge and Denton throughout his entire life from Wye House playmate Daniel Lloyd to the centuries-long sustained friendship of the Douglass (Bailey) Family to the Waymans of Caroline County to Bishop John Fletcher Hurst, founder of American University, to Rev. Henry Augustus Monroe, drummer boy for the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.

Start the day at the Heritage Museums & Gardens of Dorchester, 1003 Greenway Dr. in Cambridge, MD. Free parking is available on site.

Total walking is 3 to 4 miles. Not recommended for individuals with mobility issues. Bus will seat total of 15. Waiting list will be generated in event of sellout. Group rates may apply. Rain or shine.

Tickets cost $50 per person. Find details and buy tickets.

SUNDAY, OCT. 20

Following the successful presentation of “Lost History: Frederick Douglass in Caroline County” this past February at the Denton Library, local historian John Muller returns to town to offer a unique walking tour for students and seniors alike interested in learning more.

Join local history enthusiasts and community leaders for a debut waking tour detailing a previously unknown high-profile visit Dr. Douglass made to Denton, Maryland in the fall of 1883. Arriving by train and escorted through town by a brass band from nearby Centerville, Douglass spoke at the old county courthouse in a political rally before departing by steamboat.

Learn more about the many connections Douglass had to Denton and Caroline County from his childhood and through his wife and close friends from Caroline County.

Tour will begin at the Wharves of Choptank Visitor & Heritage Center, 3 Crouse Park Lane in Denton, MD, and conclude outside of the Union Bethel AME Church in Historic Denton.

Total walking is under two miles. If inclement weather, the tour will be re-scheduled. Tickets cost $15 per person; free for students of Caroline County Public Schools. Buy tickets.

The tours will be led by John Muller, who has presented widely throughout the DC-Baltimore metropolitan area at venues including the Library of Congress, Newseum, Politics and Prose, American Library in Paris and local universities. He is currently working on a book about the lost history of Frederick Douglass on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Frederick Douglass walking tours Oct. 19, 202019-10-15T13:16:58-04:00
5 10, 2019

‘Chronicles of Adam’ comes to Tubman Country Oct. 11

2019-10-05T07:59:13-04:00

Dontavius Williams will be performing “The Chronicles of Adam,” a powerful interpretation of life as an enslaved person of the 1800s at 3pm on Oct. 11 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (Stop #13 along the Tubman Byway) in Church Creek, Maryland, and then again at 11am and 2pm on Oct. 12 during the Nanticoke River Jamboree — a large living history event that celebrates African American, Native American, and colonial stories and culture —  between 10am and 5pm at historic Handsell near Vienna, Maryland. Watch the preview.

‘Chronicles of Adam’ comes to Tubman Country Oct. 112019-10-05T07:59:13-04:00
25 08, 2019

September is filled with Harriet Tubman and African-American history events

2019-08-28T11:37:40-04:00

There are several special events planned for September relating to Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and African-American history — all happening on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, where Tubman lived for more than 25 years.

September 5, 3pm
Free concert: Sunpie Performs African spirituals

Location: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, Church Creek, MD
Enjoy a free performance by Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots on Thursday, September 5 at 3pm. Sunpie is known for performing his own style of Afro-Louisiana music that combines zydeco, blues, gospel, and Caribbean traditions. Among Sunpie’s many areas of expertise is the deep wellspring of traditional songs, African American spirituals in particular, that contained hidden meanings for enslaved Africans who dreamed of reaching freedom on the Underground Railroad. Read more.

September 7, all day
A Day of Resilience

Location: Cambridge, MD
A special daylong event that includes the dedication of the Harriet Tubman Mural, and events to reflect on the 400th anniversary of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and the arrival of the first Africans to be sold into bondage in North America in 1619 at Jamestown. Some events feature ambassadors from three African countries. Read more.

September 14, 10am-4pm
Emancipation Day Celebration

Location: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, Church Creek, MD
On September 17, 1849 Harriet Tubman first attempted to liberate herself from the bonds of slavery. In recognition of her courage and strength the Tubman Visitor Center is hosting a day of events including ranger-led programs, live music, and the public premiere of the Visitor Center’s new orientation film “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom,” as well as a presentation by Tubman scholar and biographer Dr. Kate Clifford Larson. Read more.

September 20, 6:30-8pm
Talk: Frederick Douglass’s Godson, Publisher of the Eastern Shore’s Only Black Newspaper

Location: Heritage Museums & Gardens of Dorchester, Cambridge, MD
Historian and journalist John Muller gives a presentation about Frederick Douglass’s godson, Rev. Henry Augustus Monroe, who launched a newspaper in Somerset County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He also served as pastor of Waugh Chapel in Cambridge, where he became a well-respected editor, historian and community leader. Read more.

September 21, 9-10:30am
Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge

Location: Cambridge, MD
Did you know that Frederick Douglass was born in the next county over from where Harriet Tubman was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore? Recently some interesting history about Douglass’s visits to Cambridge, MD, has been rediscovered and will be shared during a Walking Tour of some of the sites where Douglass himself walked. Read more.

September 21,   11am-12pm
Talk: African American Officers in Liberia

Location: Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, Church Creek, MD
Join author and historian Brian Shellum as he discusses his latest book, African American Officers in Liberia, which tells the story of 17 African American officers who trained, reorganized, and commanded the Liberian Frontier Force from 1910-1942. This West African country was founded by freed black American slaves. Read more.

September 21, 3-4:30pm
The Harriet Tubman Experience with Millicent Sparks

Join re-enactor Millicent Sparks as she performs her interpretation of Harriet Tubman’s monumental life on Sept. 21 from 3pm to 4:30pm at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center. Build a personal connection with the lady of honor! This event is free and open to the public.
Read more.

September is filled with Harriet Tubman and African-American history events2019-08-28T11:37:40-04:00
23 08, 2019

Emancipation Day Celebration is Sept. 14

2019-09-10T10:31:40-04:00

On September 17, 1849, Harriet Tubman first attempted to liberate herself from the bonds of slavery. In recognition of her courage and strength, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (Stop #13 on the Tubman Byway) is hosting a day of events on Sept. 14 that focus on Tubman’s strength, courage, and the importance of freedom.

The day kicks off with with ranger-led programs at 10am and 11am in the multi-purpose room. At 1pm Dorchester County native Renna McKinney performs in the outdoor pavilion, followed by remarks from special guests before the public premiere of the Visitor Center’s new orientation film “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom” at 2pm. The day concludes with a presentation by Tubman scholar and biographer Dr. Kate Clifford Larson at 3pm. All programs and events are family-friendly and free of charge.

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek,, Maryland 21622

Emancipation Day Celebration is Sept. 142019-09-10T10:31:40-04:00
20 08, 2019

Harriet Tubman movie premieres Sept. 14 at Tubman Visitor Center

2019-08-20T09:11:32-04:00

Two films about Harriet Tubman’s life will be released this fall. The first – Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom – debuts at 2pm September 14 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (Stop  #13 along the Tubman Byway). The 15-minute short, featuring acclaimed actor and narrator Keith David with B. Cherie Patterson portraying Tubman, will be shown daily three times an hour to Visitor Center guests.

B. Cherie Patterson as Harriet Tubman

B. Cherie Patterson as Harriet Tubman

The real-life story traces Harriet Tubman’s formative years in Dorchester County, Maryland, and explores the decisions that shaped her life as a patriot, leader, liberator and humanitarian. The short film is a moving introduction to the park’s exhibits and programs that highlights the values that were most meaningful to Tubman: family, freedom, faith and community.

It debuts the same week that Harriet – the highly anticipated movie starring Emmy, Tony and Grammy award-winning actress and singer Cynthia Erivo – premieres to the world at the Toronto Film Festival. The film will be released to movie theaters across the country on November 1, including Cambridge Premier Cinemas in Cambridge, Maryland — just a few miles from where Tubman lived in slavery for more than 25 years.

Exclusive showing in Dorchester County

While millions of Harriet viewers will learn about Tubman’s remarkable life and legacy, only Soldier of Freedom was filmed and will be shown exclusively on the lands where she lived, labored and returned to free enslaved family and friends.

Keith David narrates “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom”

“We are thrilled to premier this tribute to a great American heroine,” said Maryland Park Service Manager Dana Paterra. “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom was filmed locally in the region that shaped her early years and included local actors and businesses when possible. The movie provides a solid foundation for the visitor’s experience here at the Visitor Center and adds another opportunity to create a meaningful connection with guests and Tubman’s inspiring life.”

Dorchester County residents appearing in the film include Herschel Johnson, Keith Cornish, Mary Dennard and Jenny Baltimore.

Directed by Joshua Colover (Farther than the Eye Can See, winner of 18 international film festival awards) and produced by Aperture Films, the movie was commissioned by a partnership of the National Park Service, Maryland Park Service, State of Maryland, Eastern National and America’s Byway.

Special events complement movie premiere

The September 14 premiere includes a day of special events, ranger-led programs and  a 1 p.m. ceremony with music by Renna McKinney leading up to the film’s initial 2 p.m. showing at the Tubman Visitor Center.

Dr. Kate Clifford Larson, a Massachusetts-based historian and author of the biography, Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero, will give a presentation following the premiere. Larson served as a consultant for the movie and the recently announced MPT/Firelight Films documentary on Tubman currently in production.

“Soldier of Freedom is a heart-wrenching yet triumphant story of Harriet Tubman, the hero of this park,” Dr. Larson said. “Filmed on location here on the Eastern Shore, the film briefly shares the dramatic, difficult story of Tubman’s life as an enslaved child and adult, her pursuit of freedom on the Underground Railroad, and her determination to end slavery and bring liberty and justice to others.”

Powerful addition to Underground Railroad story

The film, according to Dorchester County Tourism Director Amanda Fenstermaker, builds on the Visitor Center’s role as a trailhead for people looking to explore the 36 sites along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.

“More than 200,000 have come to the Visitor Center since its spring 2017 opening to learn about Harriet Tubman’s remarkable life and see how they can experience the landscapes where she lived and toiled,” Fenstermaker said. “The film is a significant and powerful addition to the engaging multimedia exhibitory that has made the Visitor Center one of the mid-Atlantic’s top tourism destinations.”

The Tubman Visitor Center is free and open to the public seven days a week, 9am to 5pm, and is located at 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD.

Harriet Tubman movie premieres Sept. 14 at Tubman Visitor Center2019-08-20T09:11:32-04:00
16 08, 2019

Free concert Sept. 5: Sunpie performs African spirituals

2019-08-16T14:57:11-04:00

The Maryland Park Service, National Park Service, and the National Council for the Traditional Arts are proud to offer a free performance by Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots on Thursday, September 5 at 3pm under the pavilion at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park.

Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, a former professional football player and National Park Service park ranger for 30 years, is an acclaimed accordionist, harmonica player, and researcher. Sunpie is known for performing his own style of Afro-Louisiana music that combines zydeco, blues, gospel, and Caribbean traditions. He learned accordion at the feet of some of zydeco’s most acclaimed pioneers, including Fernest Arceneaux, John Delafose, and Clayton Sampy.

Among Sunpie’s many areas of expertise is the deep wellspring of traditional songs, African American spirituals in particular, that contained hidden meanings for enslaved Africans who dreamed of reaching freedom on the Underground Railroad. Joining Sunpie will be LeRoy Etienne on drums and Michael Harris on bass.

The event is free of charge for the public and seating is available on a first come, first serve basis.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center, Stop #13 on the Tubman Byway driving tour, is located at 4068 Golden Hill Rd, Church Creek, Maryland 21622. For more info, contact 410-221-2290.

Free concert Sept. 5: Sunpie performs African spirituals2019-08-16T14:57:11-04:00
25 07, 2019

“Harriet” movie trailer inspires nationwide buzz

2019-07-30T14:25:41-04:00

Focus Features has released the trailer for the forthcoming movie, “Harriet,” and people are buzzing about it! The movie, a look at the remarkable life of Harriet Tubman, who was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, stars Cynthia Erivo as Harriet Tubman, as well as Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae. In the first 48 hours after it was released, the trailer had more than 3.6 million views on YouTube. Oprah magazine is already using the word “Oscar.” As Focus Features describes the film: “Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, HARRIET tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.” It is set to be in theaters Nov. 1.

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and spent more than 25 years toiling here. By taking the road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, today you can visit more than 30 spots of historical significance to Harriet Tubman or the Underground Railroad. Visitors to the byway have called the experience moving, powerful, and inspiring. The byway stops include the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, opened in 2017 and run by the National and Maryland Park Services. The byway also includes the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational  Center in Cambridge, MD,  home to the new Harriet Tubman Mural that became a viral sensation earlier this year and continues to draw visitors from far and wide.  Other highlights include the Bucktown General Store, the site where Harriet showed her first act of defiance — and ended up injured and almost dying.

(Photo here is from the Focus Features movie poster.)

“Harriet” movie trailer inspires nationwide buzz2019-07-30T14:25:41-04:00
24 07, 2019

Day of Resilience set for Sept. 7

2019-09-10T10:30:32-04:00

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.

Day of Resilience set for Sept. 72019-09-10T10:30:32-04:00
29 06, 2019

New Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge goes viral

2019-07-25T14:42:56-04:00

A new mural featuring a powerful image of Harriet Tubman has just been finished and is attracting attention from around the country, with some people moved to tears. On the side of the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center (Stop #5 on the Tubman Byway road trip), the mural shows Tubman with her hand outstretched, beckoning the viewer to join her on a journey to freedom. The mural, “Take My Hand,” was painted by Michael Rosato, an artist who lives in Dorchester County, Maryland, where Tubman was born and lived in slavery for more than 25 years. Rosato’s work is nationally known; his paintings are featured in major museum exhibits, stadiums, corporate offices, and private residences around the country.

A post featuring a photo of the mural and a little girl reaching out to touch Tubman’s hand (taken by local shopkeepers at Maiden Maryland), went viral on social media, with thousands of people moved, some to tears, by the powerful image. Major media outlets picked up on the story. The photo appeared twice in one week on the Today Show.

In an interview with a viewer, Rosato talked about what he is trying to convey through this mural. “The inspiration comes from that moment when a slave has to make a decision to go,” he said. “This incredibly strong and compassionate woman is about to offer that hand for that freedom. And I thought, how do I capture that moment where it all happens, when the risk was taken to run from the slave owner, to a woman taking a risk to bring you through to the other side. This is that special moment when the hand is being offered. She has to be compassionate, but has to assert a certain authority.”

Prints of the mural on archival paper or canvas are now available through the artist at harriettubmanmural.com, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Tubman Museum, Alpha Genesis, and Dorchester Center for the Arts (the nonprofit organizations who made the mural possible).

The mural was commissioned by the Dorchester Center for the Arts for the 50th Anniversary of the Maryland State Arts Council. It is a partnership project between Dorchester Center for the Arts, Alpha Genesis CDC, The Maryland State Arts Council, and the Harriet Tubman Organization, with additional support from Downtown Cambridge. As public art it represents a gift to the people of Cambridge, Dorchester County, and beyond.

Rosato also painted Tubman as part of a mural celebrating local African-American heritage; that mural is located at the corner of Maryland Avenue and Route 50 in Cambridge. His murals of other local topics are also located around Dorchester County as part of the Chesapeake Country Mural Trail. A new audio guide cell phone app featuring this new mural and other Rosato mural was released June 1. Learn more about the audio guide.

The Tubman Museum & Educational Center, located at 424 Race Street in Cambridge, MD, is run completely by dedicated volunteers who have been working hard to share Tubman’s legacy for decades. The museum includes exhibits about Tubman and the Underground Railroad. Hours are 12-3pm Tuesday through Friday, and 12-4pm on Saturdays. For more information, call the museum at 410-228-0401. The museum is also the site of some of the events during the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference, May 31-June 1.

New Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge goes viral2019-07-25T14:42:56-04:00
28 06, 2019

Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge set for Sept. 21

2019-08-26T16:07:19-04:00

Did you know that Frederick Douglass was born in the next county over from where Harriet Tubman was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore? Recently some interesting history about Douglass’s visits to Cambridge, MD, has been rediscovered, and on Sept. 21, you can join the Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge. The tour retraces the steps that Douglass took during two visits to Cambridge in 1877 and 1878, and includes two stops along the Tubman Byway (Sites #3 and #4). 2018 marked 200 years since Douglass’s birth.

The tour will begin at Long Wharf, where Douglass arrived in Cambridge, and proceed up High Street past the Courthouse and Christ Episcopal Church. Stopping at Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church and then proceeding down Pine Street to Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, where Douglass addressed a multi-racial gathering including members of the Lloyd family.

This tour will also interweave the local history of Patty Cannon, Professor John Mercer Langston, Governor Henry Lloyd, Rev. Henry Augustus Monroe, Bishop John Fletcher Hurst and others.

The tour will formally conclude on Pine Street in front of Bethel AME Church, which is a historic African-American community. Tour goers are encouraged to explore downtown Cambridge following the tour and get lunch at a nearby eatery on the adjacent Race Street. See restaurant options in Downtown Cambridge.

The tour begins at 9am on Sept. 21, and is led by John Muller, historian and author of “Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia.” Tickets cost $20; free for students. Find details and buy tickets.

There is free parking at Long Wharf (near High and Water Streets).

Cambridge is also home to the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center (home of the new Harriet Tubman Mural), and about 20 minutes drive from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center.

Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge set for Sept. 212019-08-26T16:07:19-04:00
5 04, 2019

Tubman UGRR Conference is May 31-June 1

2019-05-18T10:34:01-04:00

The 10th annual Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference is set for May 31 – June 1, 2019 in Cambridge, Maryland — just a few miles from the lands where Harriet Tubman lived and toiled, as well as the site of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center and home to the Harriet Tubman Byway.

The two-day symposium focuses on the research about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. This conference invites historians, students, educators, genealogists, researchers, artists, musicians and community members to share and compare research, history research methods, interpretation, curriculum ideas, and creative artistic expressions with a growing community of enthusiasts. This year’s theme is “It Ran on Faith.”

One of the keynote speakers at the Tubman Conference is Tina Wyatt, the great-great-great niece of Harriet Tubman. The other is Karsonya Wise Whitehead of Loyola University.

Some of the conference events take place at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, which has gone viral on social media recently for its powerful new mural of Harriet Tubman on the side of the building. Read more about the mural.

Come and experience the landscape, the stories and the faith that the presenters have unearthed. This conference is a wonderful place to meet others who share your passion for history.

Find out more and register at harriettubmanundergroundrailroadconference.com. You can also email tubman.conference@gmail.com or call 410-228-7953.

Tubman UGRR Conference is May 31-June 12019-05-18T10:34:01-04:00
2 04, 2019

Heritage Area Releases Cell Phone Tours

2019-04-02T10:11:49-04:00

Tours celebrate history, heritage

To celebrate Dorchester County’s 350th anniversary, the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area has created a new cell phone app featuring a suite of walking and driving guides that showcase the unique history and heritage of Dorchester County.

The Visit Dorchester Audio Tour Guide is free and can downloaded from the Google Play Store for android devices and the App Store for iPhones. In addition to describing significant historical highlights, narrators note unique architectural details and share their own personal reflections and first-hand memories of events and activities related to the featured sites, said Julie Gilberto-Brady, manager of the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area.

“Our app invites visitors to immerse themselves in the rich history, culture and traditions of Dorchester County,” Gilberto-Brady said. “What I especially like about this guide and what makes it unique is that our narrators go beyond the expected facts and dates. Because many of them lived the events or have direct connections to the sites on the tour, our narrators are able to share candid, firsthand personal perspectives.

“You also have easy access to compelling descriptions for iconic sites and historical events. The audio guides enrich visitor experiences by enabling them to proceed at their own pace and by presenting content that enhances written brochures. They eliminate the need to read through long text descriptions, the need for docents and the need to maintain long interpretive signs at designated sites.”

Pine Street Tour

The Pine Street Tour, the first of the three guides to be released, focuses on African-American history and heritage in Cambridge. Local historians and residents with connections to the featured sites and significant events narrate each stop.

For instance, Dion Banks talks about Long Wharf, providing historical background. Then he shares how he has traced his family history and that his ancestors were unloaded from slave ships at this spot. His poignant reflection includes how he tries to see the landscape through their eyes and their perspective.

The tour proceeds up historic High Street with a story from the last known surviving African-American skipjack captain and stops at a house along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and the Dorchester County Courthouse. As visitors continue to Pine Street, narrators share firsthand memories of the neighborhood’s heyday, when the area had so much energy it was nicknamed “Little New York.”

As part of the Chitlin’ Circuit, entertainment venues in this area hosted some of the greatest names in music during the ’20s, ’30s, ’40s, ’50s and early ’60s. In this segment of the tour, Greg Meekins notes that the historical nature of blues and jazz still resonate on Pine Street. But he also pauses to describe how vividly he remembers the night in 1967 when a devastating fire on Pine Street consumed the majority of the neighborhood’s black businesses.

As travelers walk in the footsteps of Gloria Richardson, they will hear compelling descriptions of the turbulent 1960s when Pine Street thrust Cambridge before a worldwide audience, and it emerged as one of the most important battlegrounds in the Civil Rights movement. And they will hear the reminiscences of long-time residents who attended the segregated school on Pine Street and who helped make the renowned pies and “beaten biscuits” that were the specialty of the neighborhood bakery.

Download the Tours

The Pine Street Tour includes 11 stops. Additional tours, focusing on Downtown Cambridge and the Chesapeake Mural Trail, will be released in May and June. They also will be available on the same Visit Dorchester app.

Download the free Visit Dorchester app from the Google Play Store for android devices, or from the App Store for iPhones and iPads.

Heritage Area Releases Cell Phone Tours2019-04-02T10:11:49-04:00
19 03, 2019

Talk: The Bloody and Buried History of the Still Family’s Escape

2019-03-19T16:08:29-04:00

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center hosts a special presentation on March 31 from 2-3pm by Anna-Lisa Cox, award-winning historian on the history of racism and race relations in 19th century America. She will talk about the family of Peter Still, the brother of William Still who was known for documenting Underground Railroad families in Philadelphia. In her talk, she will share incredible details of the 1850s Vina and Peter Still family escape attempt.

Ms. Cox is the author of The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America’s Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality, a book that was named one of eight best history books of 2018 by Smithsonian magazine.

The talk is free and open to all.

The Tubman Visitor Center is open daily, 9am to 5pm, with free admission. It is Stop #13 on the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a scenic driving tour of more than 35 historically significant sites with ties to Tubman or the Underground Railroad. Find out more at HarrietTubmanByway.org.

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Rd., Church Creek, MD

Talk: The Bloody and Buried History of the Still Family’s Escape2019-03-19T16:08:29-04:00
24 02, 2019

Harriet Tubman Day events on March 10

2019-02-28T11:08:16-05:00

Special events are planned for Sunday, March 10, which is considered Harriet Tubman Day, since it marks the anniversary of her death in 1913 (her exact birthdate is unknown). It also marks the two-year anniversary of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center. The Visitor Center is Stop #13 along the Harriet Tubman Byway, a scenic, self-guided driving tour of 36 historically sites on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

Also, don’t miss the Harriet Tubman Banquet on March 9, featuring a musical tribute to this American hero.

Here are the special events happening at the Tubman Visitor Center on March 10:

Symbolism in Harriet; Symbolism in Me

10am
Both the park and the visitor center’s life-size bust of Harriet Tubman were designed with symbolism in mind. Spend time with Ranger Roe creating your own piece of art while learning about the hidden meanings of the park and the bust in the lobby.

Behind the Scenes of Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom

11am
Join actor B. Cherie Patterson as she shares her preparation process to become Harriet Tubman in the visitor center’s upcoming orientation film “Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom.” She will take you through her thought process, how she researched Tubman, and on-set challenges.

Reading Ranger

12pm
Meet a ranger in the research library and enjoy stories of Minty’s youth and time on the Underground Railroad.

Smithville

1pm
Join writer and producer Rona Kobell and Smithville native Keith Cornish for a viewing of the film Smithville and hear what life was like and why Smithville and similar communities are so important to preserve.

Mancala! Mancala! Mancala!

2pm
Join a ranger and learn how to play the board game Mancala! It takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master. Bring a smile and creativity and create your own game board.

The View North – GWWO’s Story-Based Design Approach to the Visitor Center

3pm
Come learn why the visitor center looks the way it does and discover some of the hidden meaning embedded within the facility from the architects.

Harriet Tubman Day events on March 102019-02-28T11:08:16-05:00
16 02, 2019

Tubman Banquet is March 9 in Cambridge, MD

2019-02-28T11:10:05-05:00

The Harriet Tubman Banquet celebrates the life of Harriet Tubman — a freedom fighter, scout, spy, nurse an abolitionist born here in Dorchester County. The banquet happens on Saturday, March 9, in Cambridge, Maryland.

This year’s theme is “A Homecoming Celebration for Harriet Tubman” and will feature a musical tribute to those in Dorchester County who were among the first to work tirelessly to keep her legacy alive. There will be musical selections from two groups — the Barry Foreman Trio and the Spiritual Vessels out of Hurlock.

The event runs from 2:45pm to 5:30pm at the Elks Lodge #223 at 618 Pine Street, Cambridge, MD 21613.

The event is sponsored by the Harriet Tubman Organization, Inc., which operates the volunteer-run Harriet Tubman Museum, the place that has been preserving and promoting Tubman’s legacy for more than 30 years.

Tickets cost $30 per person. To purchase tickets, call Bill Jarmon at 301-221-1732, the Harriet Tubman Museum (during open hours only; Tuesday through Saturday, 12-3pm) at 410-228-0401 or Donald Pinder at 410-330-1185.

Consider making it a Harriet Tubman weekend by taking part in the special Tubman Day events happening at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center on Sunday, March 10. The visitor center is about a 20-minute drive from the site of the banquet.

Tubman Banquet is March 9 in Cambridge, MD2019-02-28T11:10:05-05:00
1 02, 2019

Follow the Footsteps: Harriet Tubman Tour Feb. 23

2019-02-10T11:45:07-05:00

Follow the Footsteps: An American Legend is a dinner, show and tour hosted by Harriet Tubman Tours. The event begins at 9am Feb. 23 at the Dorchester County Visitor Center in Cambridge, MD. Tour sites include the historic Dorchester County Courthouse, Long Wharf, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center, and more. Plus a full-course meal and storytelling by local historians. Cost is $50 per person. There will also be door prizes. To reserve your spot, call Tubman Tours at 866-642-7743.

Follow the Footsteps: Harriet Tubman Tour Feb. 232019-02-10T11:45:07-05:00
1 02, 2019

Call for proposals for annual Tubman UGRR Conference

2019-02-12T08:14:31-05:00

Proposals for workshops are being accepted until March 4, 2019 for this year’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference, which will be held May 31 through June 1, 2019 in Cambridge, MD — a few miles from where Harriet Tubman once lived. This year’s theme, “It Ran on Faith,” describes Harriet’s approach to her life, as well as those who worked in secret, helping others to freedom.

This conference invites historians, students, educators, researchers, genealogists, artists and others to share and compare, interpret and celebrate this story based on family, freedom, community and faith. They are seeking proposals related to the realities and complexities of slavery, escapes and those who made escapes possible with an undercurrent of faith.

Workshop sessions by individuals or groups should be one hour in length. All programming benefits from audience interaction. Proposals should include the title and type of the presentation. Presenter information needed includes name, organization, email, phone number and mailing address. A short bio and photo should be included in presenter’s submission.

The presentation must be explained by describing the topic/theme in 300 words or less. The intended audience and technology requirements must also be included.

All of this can be emailed to tubman.conference@gmail.com. For more information, email or call 410-228-7953.

Call for proposals for annual Tubman UGRR Conference2019-02-12T08:14:31-05:00
24 01, 2019

Frederick Douglass in Cambridge and Denton – Feb. 9 – walking tour & talk

2019-01-24T11:28:20-05:00

Did you know that famous abolitionist and orator Frederick Douglass was born in the next county over from where Harriet Tubman was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore? Recently some interesting history about Douglass’s visits to Cambridge, MD, has been rediscovered, and on Feb. 9, you can join the Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge. The tour retraces the steps that Douglass took during two visits to Cambridge in 1877 and 1878, and includes two stops along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, a self-guided driving tour of Underground Railroad history: Stop #3, the Dorchester County Courthouse, and Stop #4, Long Wharf. The world is celebrating the bicentennial of Douglass’s birth in 1818 in Talbot County, Maryland.

The tour, which runs from 9am to 10:30pm, is led by John Muller, historian and author of “Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia.” Tickets cost $15. Find details and buy tickets.

Cambridge is also home to the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center (Stop #5 along the Tubman Byway), open 12 to 4pm on Saturdays. Also in the area is the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (Stop #13 along the Tubman Byway), about a 20-minute drive from downtown Cambridge. Both are sites along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.

Another interesting event related to Frederick Douglass happens later on Feb 9, when there’s a talk about Douglass’s visit to Denton, Maryland. The talk happens from 1:30 to 3pm at the Caroline County Central Library, 100 Market St., Denton, MD. The talk will be giving by John Muller, who will be leading the walking tour in Cambridge mentioned above. The talk will detail a previously unknown visit that Douglass made to Denton in 1883, when he was welcome by a brass band and spoke at the old county courthouse. Find out more.

Frederick Douglass in Cambridge and Denton – Feb. 9 – walking tour & talk2019-01-24T11:28:20-05:00
7 12, 2018

Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge set for Dec. 22

2018-12-07T07:32:46-05:00

Did you know that Frederick Douglass was born in the next county over from where Harriet Tubman was born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore? Recently some interesting history about Douglass’s visits to Cambridge, MD, has been rediscovered, and on Dec. 22, you can join the Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge. The tour retraces the steps that Douglass took during two visits to Cambridge in 1877 and 1878, and includes two stops along the Tubman Byway (Sites #3 and #4). This year marks 200 years since Douglass’s birth.

The tour, which runs from 10:30am to 12pm, is led by John Muller, historian and author of “Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C.: The Lion of Anacostia.” Tickets cost $15. Find details and buy tickets.

Cambridge is also home to the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center, and about 20 minutes drive from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center.

Walking Tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge set for Dec. 222018-12-07T07:32:46-05:00
5 12, 2018

Tour, dinner show Dec. 22 with Tubman Tours

2018-12-10T14:54:51-05:00

Harriet Tubman Tours is planning a special event on Dec. 22 with a tour and dinner show featuring a Harriet Tubman re-enactor. Tickets cost $50 per person. Call for group and family rates. RSVP no later than Dec. 14. Find out more or contact them directly at tubmantours@gmail.com.

Tour, dinner show Dec. 22 with Tubman Tours2018-12-10T14:54:51-05:00
4 12, 2018

First Day Hikes in Tubman Country Jan. 1

2018-12-04T11:08:11-05:00

Start 2019 off right with a hike in Tubman Country! Join one of two hikes on January 1 led by rangers at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center (Site #13 on the Tubman Byway). The visitor center will be open on Jan. 1, too. Registration is required for either hike; email Ranger Angela Crenshaw (angela.crenshaw@maryland.gov) to register. Find out more.

First Day Hikes in Tubman Country Jan. 12018-12-04T11:08:11-05:00
2 10, 2018

Looking for extras for Tubman Visitor Center film

2018-10-02T22:19:10-04:00

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center is working on a short film to serve as an introduction to Tubman’s life. As part of that, the producers are looking for looking for background actors for filming in late October. No acting experience needed. If you’re interested, see the flier with details and who to contact.

 

 

Looking for extras for Tubman Visitor Center film2018-10-02T22:19:10-04:00
2 10, 2018

Rev. Samuel Green’s descendant to speak Oct. 6

2018-10-02T21:41:22-04:00

The public is cordially invited to the 17th annual Faith Community United Methodist Church in East New Market, MD (Site #21 along the Tubman Byway) for the annual Heritage Day on Saturday, October 6, starting at 11am. This event will feature a celebration of African-American music, dance, food, and fellowship.

The theme for 2018 is “Return to Our Roots.” The keynote speaker will be Dale Glenwood Green, an Eastern Shore native and Professor of Architecture and Chair of Historic Preservation Program at Morgan State University. His ancestor was Rev. Samuel Green, who was a freed slave, pastor, and collaborator with Harriet Tubman in the 1800s. Green was eventually caught and imprisoned for possessing a copy of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The sentence was 10 years. He lived in East New Market, Maryland, and preached at what is today Faith Community United Methodist Church (Site #21 along the Tubman Byway). Rev. Green then went on to be one of the founders of Morgan State University, where his descendant Dale Green works today.

Music will be provided by Waugh Chapel United Methodist Church Gospel Choir and the Green Family Ensemble.  All are welcome. This event has been sponsored by the East New Market Town Council, Dorchester Elks Lodge #223,  and the Heart of the Chesapeake Heritage Area.

Faith Community is located near the corner of Routes 14 and 392 in East New Market, Maryland. Questions? Contact Herschel Johnson at 410-228-6657 or Royce Sampson at 410-820-8350.

ADDRESS: 509 Railroad Ave, East New Market, MD 21631

Rev. Samuel Green’s descendant to speak Oct. 62018-10-02T21:41:22-04:00
2 10, 2018

Tubman Byway travel discounts end Oct. 31

2018-10-02T19:43:10-04:00

Make plans for a powerful and unforgettable driving tour of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway on Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore. Come mid-week and, through October 2018 only, you’ll find discounts on lodging, plus $100 in gift cards to use at local restaurants, shops, and more, through our Tubman Travel Package.  The byway includes more than 30 sites related to Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.

Tubman Byway travel discounts end Oct. 312018-10-02T19:43:10-04:00
2 10, 2018

Lost Frederick Douglass history rediscovered along Tubman Byway

2018-10-02T19:32:00-04:00

Newly rediscovered history about Frederick Douglass shows that the famed abolitionist and orator made at least two visits to Cambridge, Maryland, and walked right along part of today’s current-day Tubman Byway. The findings were shared during a Sept. 21 presentation in Cambridge by local historian Linda Duyer and author John Muller, who wrote Frederick Douglass in Washington, D.C: The Lion of Anacostia.

In September 1877, Frederick Douglass arrived at the Cambridge steamboat wharf known as Long Wharf (today’s Site #4 on the Tubman Byway). He made his way along High Street to the Cambridge Hotel that once stood near High and Church Streets. Along his way he passed the courthouse (now Site #3 on the byway). He ended up at Bethel Church, where he spoke for two hours to the crowd. Read more in this news story covering the presentation.

Lost Frederick Douglass history rediscovered along Tubman Byway2018-10-02T19:32:00-04:00

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway
The Tubman Byway is a self-guided driving tour that winds for more than 125 miles through the beautiful landscapes and waterscapes of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, and then another 98 miles through Delaware. It includes 45 historically significant sites related to the Underground Railroad. Spend a couple of hours or a couple of days exploring.

2 Rose Hill Place, Cambridge, MD 21613 | 410-228-1000 | info@harriettubmanbyway.org
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