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30 08, 2021

Bike the Underground Railroad on Oct. 16, 2021 – Benefit for Harriet Tubman Sculpture

Jill Jasuta2022-02-11T10:32:45-05:00

Inspired by Harriet Tubman and her daring journeys to freedom on the Underground Railroad, Alpha Genesis Community Development Corporation (AGCDC) has announced a new adult bike ride in October 2021 in Dorchester County, Maryland to raise money for the Harriet’s Journey Home project.

The Bike the UGRR ride will be held October 16 and will take riders along and near the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Participants can choose either a 25-mile or 43-mile ride. Both will provide opportunities to stop at significant landmarks and sites along the byway in Dorchester County to learn more about their historical significance. The ride begins at Cambridge South Dorchester High School, 2475 Cambridge Beltway, Cambridge, MD.

Money raised from the event will support the Harriet’s Journey Home project, which seeks to raise $250,000 to commission, purchase and permanently install a 12-foot bronze statue of Harriet Tubman (created by Wesley Wofford Sculpture Studio) at the Dorchester County Courthouse in Cambridge, MD – Stop #3 along the byway, and a former site of slave auctions.

The cost is $60 per rider. Find more info and sign up.

Bike the Underground Railroad on Oct. 16, 2021 – Benefit for Harriet Tubman SculptureJill Jasuta2022-02-11T10:32:45-05:00

29 08, 2021

Emancipation Day Celebration Sept. 19 at Tubman Visitor Center

Jill Jasuta2021-09-21T10:23:46-04:00

To mark the day that Harriet Tubman escaped from slavery in Maryland on Sept. 17, 1849, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center hosts an Emancipation Day celebration for all ages on Sept. 19, 2021.

Go birding with Ranger Lawson, learn about Underground Railroad routes with Ranger Tim, enjoy traditional children’s games in the Legacy Garden with Ranger Cierra, meet acclaimed storyteller Janice Curtis Greene as she brings Harriet Tubman to life, and see the artifacts unearthed by archaeologists at the home of Harriet’s father, Ben Ross. The Junior Ranger activity will also be available throughout the day!

See the Emancipation Day Celebration flier for the full schedule and details.

Free admission; donations are welcome.

The Tubman Visitor Center is Stop #13 along the road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway, so you can make a day of it by exploring some of the more than 30 other stops in the area. See map and description of other stops.

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, MD 21622

Emancipation Day Celebration Sept. 19 at Tubman Visitor CenterJill Jasuta2021-09-21T10:23:46-04:00

28 08, 2021

Day of Resilience is Sept. 11-12

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:06:07-04:00

The Third Annual Day of Resilience on Sept. 11-12 in Cambridge, Maryland, will commemorate the theme, “Honoring our Ancestors by Reconnecting with Our Roots,” and feature Ambassador Sidique Wai of Sierra Leone as the keynote speaker during a Town Hall Meeting on Africa. The event happens along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.

The Day of Resilience was first held in 2019 in Cambridge to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. That event received gubernatorial, senatorial and congressional citations and received the Outstanding Heritage Project Award from the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area. In 2020, the observance was highlighted by the unveiling of a traveling sculpture of Harriet Tubman at the Dorchester Courthouse.

Each Day of Resilience has built on the previous year’s event. This year’s commemoration also marks one year until a new, permanent Harriet Tubman sculpture is installed at the Dorchester County Courthouse, a place where enslaved ancestors were auctioned and Tubman’s niece was rescued. Next year is the bicentennial celebration of Tubman’s birth, and the statue will be installed at the Dorchester County courthouse to mark that milestone. A fundraising campaign, Harriet’s Journey Home, seeks to raise $250,000 to commission and install the 12-foot bronze statue. To date, there has been $140,000 raised in donations and grants.

On Saturday, Global Sustainable Partnerships will sponsor free health screenings for COVID, diabetes and HIV. Habitat for Humanity will host a community visioning session for the revitalization of the Harriet Tubman mural viewing area. Vendors will be in Cannery Way throughout Saturday. There will be an outdoor fashion show at the Black Lives Matter Mural by Sierra Leone fashion designer Fatamata Koroma, followed by Jazz at the Harriet Tubman “Take My Hand” Mural with artist Reggie Upshaw. For those who would like an extended stay, there will be a bus tour of Underground Railroad sites on Sunday, Sept. 12., followed by a gospel /jazz brunch featuring Suzette Pritchett at the Harriet Tubman Mural in the afternoon.

Saturday, September 11
10:30 a.m. – Meet at courthouse (206 High St., ) then walk to water for commemoration and libations at the water (Long Wharf fishing pier, High and Water Streets)
11:30 a.m. – Processional up High Street to the Dorchester County Courthouse, 206 High St.
Noon – Day of Resilience Ceremony- Dorchester County Courthouse
1:15 p.m. – Lunch on your own at Cannery Way (vendors in Cannery Way; 400 block of Race St.); box lunches for dignitaries at Harriet Tubman Museum.
1:15 p.m. – Community input on Cannery Way improvements (Habitat for Humanity)
1:15 p.m. – Art show opening, Death or Liberty by Artist Sydnie Smith-Jordon, 420 Race St., rear building
2:30 p.m. – Constituency for Africa Town Hall Meeting on Africa with Ambassador Sidique Wai of Sierra Leone
5:30 p.m. – Fashion Show at the Black Lives Matter Mural (400 Block Race Street)
7 p.m. – Jazz at the Harriet Tubman Mural (400 block of Race St.) with Reggie Upshaw
9 p.m. – Artist Reception, Death or Liberty, and After Party at the Art Bar 2.0, 420 Race St., rear building
11 p.m. – End of the Day

Sunday, September 12
11 a.m. Underground Railroad Tour with Harriet Tubman Tours
1:30 p.m. – Gospel/Jazz Brunch at the Harriet Tubman Mural (400 block of Race St.), featuring Suzette Pritchard. $50 per person. Buy tickets.
4 p.m. – End of Day

For more information about the Day of Resilience or how to contribute to the Harriet Tubman Sculpture fundraiser, visit the Alpha Genesis website

Day of Resilience is Sept. 11-12Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:06:07-04:00

27 08, 2021

Events celebrate September as International Underground Railroad Month

Jill Jasuta2022-02-03T11:29:04-05:00

Photo by Christyl O’Flaherty; with second photographer Tchanavia Lastie and third photographer Aaron Searcy

September is International Underground Railroad Month here in Maryland! The month acknowledges the significance of the Underground Railroad, and all those involved, for its contribution to the eradication of slavery in the United States and as a cornerstone for a more comprehensive civil rights movement that followed. September also marks the self liberation of two of Maryland’s freedom fighters, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass.

This is the third year that Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has declared September as International Underground Railroad Month, recognizing the state as the “most powerful Underground Railroad storytelling destination in the world.” It’s also the month when Harriet Tubman made her first attempt to escape slavery (Sept. 17) and when Frederick Douglass self-liberated himself in Baltimore (Sept. 3). One way to mark the month is to take the road trip known as the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad 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.

“Maryland’s Underground Railroad had so many inspirational freedom seekers whose stories can be explored today through unique attractions, historical sites, and programming,” said Gov. Hogan. “While Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are two well-known freedom fighters, International Underground Railroad Month honors all the brave men, women, and children who fought for freedom.”

Here are some of the events happening along the Tubman Byway this month:

Day of Resilience

The Third Annual Day of Resilience on Sept. 11-12 in Cambridge, Maryland, will commemorate the theme, “Honoring our Ancestors by Reconnecting with Our Roots,” and will feature Ambassador Sidique Wai of Sierra Leone as the keynote speaker during a Town Hall Meeting on Africa. The event happens along the Harriet Tubman Byway. There’s a fashion show, live music, and more. Details

Emancipation Day at the Tubman Visitor Center

Honor Harriet Tubman’s self-emancipation on Sept. 19 at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center (Stop #13 along the Tubman Byway). The day includes birding, storytelling, talks on the Underground Railroad and the archaeology of the Ben Ross homesite, family fun, Junior Ranger activities, and more. 10am-3pm.

Tours of the byway by boat, kayak, and on foot

In celebration of Underground Railroad Month, Harriet Tubman Tours and Delmarva Birding Weekends are partnering with local outfitters to explore the Tubman Byway on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and Southern Delaware by boat, kayak and on foot. September is also a great month for experiencing fall migration, so the birding on these trips should be spectacular. Check out the tours happening on Sept. 10, Sept. 15, Sept. 16, and Sept. 30. Get details and sign up before they sell out.

Walking tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge

Join a walking tour that will share the importance of two visits Frederick Douglass made to Cambridge, Maryland in 1877 and 1878. The tour will start at Long Wharf and conclude on Pine Street in front of Bethel AME Church. There are two tours set for Sept. 4: 10am to 12pm and 1:30 to 3:30pm. Details

A Walk in the Woods at Peter’s Neck

Enjoy a guided two-mile walk in the woods through the Peter’s Neck district, near the homesite of Ben Ross, Harriet Tubman’s father on Sunday, Sept. 26. Discover what life was like for the communities that helped raise Harriet Tubman.

Participants will meet at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center (4068 Golden Hill Rd, Church Creek, MD 21622) at 1pm and will be shuttled to Peter’s Neck, within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Please bring a mask for the shuttle ride. Participants are also encouraged to wear boots and bring bug spray and bottled water.

To register for this inaugural program, contact Ranger Cierra at 410-221-2290 ext. 1144. Registration is required and space is limited.

NOTE: The amazing photo above (yes, it’s a photo!) is a re-enactment inspired by the “Harriet” movie. It was spearheaded by photographer Christyl O’Flaherty, along with second photographer Tchanavia Lastie and third photographer Aaron Searcy. Learn more about this powerful photo series.

Events celebrate September as International Underground Railroad MonthJill Jasuta2022-02-03T11:29:04-05:00

20 07, 2021

Harriet Tubman park rangers pick their driving tour favorites

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:04:40-04:00

By Adam Larson

Nearly 200 years ago, an American hero named Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland. An Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, suffragist, veteran, and small business owner, Tubman overcame arduous odds to accomplish great feats. Today, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway follows in her footsteps from her home in Dorchester County to freedom in Philadelphia. There are 45 sites to explore in total, and nearly half of the byway’s sites are in Dorchester County. As rangers at Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park, we’ve picked out some of our favorite sites to visit.

Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (Site #5)

Operated by the non-profit Harriet Tubman Organization, the volunteer-run Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center preserves artifacts, organizes events, and teaches visitors about Tubman’s continuing importance in the area she grew up in. Inside the museum are exhibits and a gift shop, and outside is a mural of Harriet Tubman reaching out to the viewer that went viral in 2019.

“It’s nice to have a partner in interpretation, and I’m glad that so many visitors get to visit both the museum and the visitor center and get a well-rounded view of Tubman’s story,” said Seasonal Ranger Laurel Pogue. “All of the volunteers are knowledgeable and welcoming, and help make the museum a great experience.”

Joseph Stewart’s Canal/Parsons Creek (Site #10)

For more than two decades, enslaved and free Blacks toiled perilously to dig Stewart’s Canal, which connected the timbering and agricultural areas around the Blackwater River to the Little Blackwater River, the shipyards in Madison Bay, and destinations across the Chesapeake Bay. The seven-mile canal is still visible today, over two hundred years after work on the canal began.

“The canal holds a dark history of slavery, but despite this, the sunsets over it remain breathtaking,” said Assistant Park Manager Chaney Dale.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center (Site #13)

Opened in 2017, the Tubman Visitor Center‘s exhibits reveal the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, with a focus on her early life here on the Eastern Shore. The exhibits are complemented with a theater, a park store, and our Legacy Garden that surrounds the Visitor Center.

“The Visitor Center offers guests an immersive and emotive experience, creating connections between modern day travelers and the 19th century. Our exhibits provide a strong foundation for exploring more of Tubman Country,” said Park Manager Dana Paterra.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Site #14)

Established to protect prime habitat for migratory birds, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge also protects the natural environment as it was when Harriet Tubman lived in Dorchester. The refuge’s Wildlife Drive takes visitors past a mixture of forest, swamp, and open water that have characterized southern Dorchester County for centuries.

“I love seeing the variety and sheer number of birds at Blackwater,” said Seasonal Ranger Adam Larson. “The bald eagles are there year-round, and from winter to summer you can watch as the huge flocks of geese are replaced by osprey nesting on platforms.”

Bucktown General Store (Site #17)

When Harriet Tubman was about 12 years old, she went to the Bucktown General Store on an errand. An enslaved man had entered the store without permission from his slaveholder, and an overseer had followed him there. The overseer told Tubman to restrain the enslaved man, but she refused. The overseer then took a weight and hurled it at the enslaved man, but missed and struck Tubman in the head. The near-fatal injury caused her to have vivid visions for the rest of her life that she believed were sent by God.

“You can visit the site where Harriet demonstrated her first act of defiance, and while her injury was physically devastating, it was spiritually awakening,” said Park Ranger Cierra Maszkiewicz.

Faith Community United Methodist Church (Site #21)

Churches were a cornerstone of the free and enslaved Black community, where preachers shared a vital message of empowerment and hope. Underground Railroad conductor Reverend Sam Green was one of the original trustees of Faith Community United Methodist Church, a congregation that still worships today.

“Faith Community Church is a center of the community where everybody meets and greets each other in a historically important congregation,” said Seasonal Ranger Mary Dennard. “We are a people that remember where we came from. We are products of the past.”

Harriet Tubman park rangers pick their driving tour favoritesJill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:04:40-04:00

11 02, 2021

Birding the Tubman Byway

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:06:47-04:00

Join Harriet Tubman Tours and Delmarva Birding Weekends as they go birding along the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway in Dorchester County, Maryland. During this guided, self-driven tour, learn about the life and times of the famed freedom seeker and human rights activist known as “The Moses of Her People,” Harriet Tubman. The route courses through the farms and Chesapeake Bay marshes of Dorchester County, home to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and some of the best birding and Bald Eagle watching on America’s Eastern Seaboard.

The same birds that Harriet Tubman would have known more than 170 years ago still inhabit the fields, forests and marshes of Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Bald Eagles can be observed year-round, and active nests are visible during the winter and spring. During autumn and winter months, you can discover ducks, geese, swans and raptors.

Choose from among these upcoming tours; each tour runs from 1 to 5pm:

February 25, 2021
March 11, 2021
March 25, 2021
April 3, 2021
April 15, 2021

Cost is $65/person. Find out more and reserve your spot.

Meeting location: small roadside pull-off at the Brodess Farm Site, located near 2881 Greenbrier Road, Bucktown, MD 21613. The GPS Coordinates are: 38.459031,-76.048522.

Harriet Tubman used bird calls as secret signals during her missions to freedom. Read more on this in Audubon magazine and listen to a brief segment from Living on Earth.

Birding the Tubman BywayJill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:06:47-04:00

1 02, 2021

Virtual reality experiences bring powerful stories to life

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:08-04:00

Just in time for Black History Month, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway has been updated with new augmented reality and virtual reality experiences that bring to life the powerful stories connected to four of the sites. With the free audio guide, you can embark on this dramatic tour along the byway on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, exploring landscapes that Tubman knew as an enslaved woman and from which she fled as a young woman. The new AR/VR experiences are as follows:

Bucktown Crossroads

See the intersection at 4303 Bucktown Road, Bucktown, transform to what it might have looked like as a bustling crossroads in the mid-1800s. If you do a 360 spin with your phone at the site, you will see the store, blacksmith shop, barns and houses, as well as farm animals and people in the scene.

There are four people who are clickable. Each tells his or her own story. They represent the people from all walks of life who frequented these Bucktown crossroads: A fur trader who does not own slaves, a free black man, an enslaved woman, and a slave trader.

More about Bucktown General Store, Stop #17 along the byway.

Bayly House

Watch a hologram of a reenactor depicting Lizzie Amby, who was enslaved at the Bayly house and escaped from slavery through Harriet Tubman’s network. She shares her hopes, dreams and fears as she plans her escape. The Bayly house, at 207 High Street, Cambridge, is a private residence but can be viewed from the sidewalk.

A new stop on the Byway, the Bayly House will be getting one of the iconic, three-sided Byway markers later this month. It is know that Alexander Bayly did own slaves and advertised in the local newspaper for Lizzy Amby’s return after her escape.

The Bayly House, a private residence, is located at 207 High St. in Cambridge, Maryland.

The new AR/VR experience at the Stanley Institute features Harriet Tubman organizing an escape.

Stanley Institute

Watch as Harriet Tubman recounts her plans to help two groups escape from nearby plantations. The Stanley Institute site on MD Route 16 in Cambridge transforms to what it would have looked like in the mid-1800s during a nighttime escape, and an actress portraying Harriet dramatically impresses upon you the extreme risks and danger that await.

She describes their determination and provides details that include the numbers of children, family members who had to be left behind and even how they had to deal with especially horrid weather the night of the escape. She uses Harriet’s own words to help you understand Harriet’s own unwavering commitment to assisting others on their journey north to freedom.

More about Stanley Institute, Stop #6 along the byway.

Leverton House

Although you cannot go up to the privately owned house at 3531 Seaman Road in Preston, from the end of the drive, you can use the app to see what the Leverton house would have looked like in the 1800s. An actor portraying Arthur Leverton describes the perils of his family’s efforts to help freedom seekers head north.

His story shows how assisting enslaved people with their right to freedom also came with a high price for the abolitionists. The Levertons and their neighbor and fellow Underground Railroad conductor, Daniel Hubbard, a free black farmer, were forced to flee Maryland for their own safety because of their efforts helping others.

More about Leverton House, Stop #22 along the byway.

Collaboration & Research

What is noteworthy about these new experiences is the crossover and connection with other Harriet Tubman stories told in Dorchester County, said Julie Gilberto-Brady, manager of the Heart of Chesapeake Country Heritage Area.

“We used pictures of people in the documentary shown at the Harriet Tubman State Park, and we borrowed costumes used in their film,” Gilberto-Brady said. “We also have the same actress portraying Harriet Tubman.”

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway was designated as one of the best driving tours in the nation in 2009 by the Federal Highway Administration for its scenic beauty and significant history. In addition to recounting Harriet Tubman’s remarkable life story, the Byway reveals the story of slavery and the pursuit of freedom on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It weaves through a rare landscape, virtually unaltered for more than a century.

The new experiences were made possible, in part, with funding from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. The AR/VR content was developed by TimeLooper. Collaborators included Dorchester County Tourism, the Harriet Tubman Museum, Harriet Tubman State Park and Visitor Center, Friends of Stanley Institute, Caroline County Historical Society, Historian Kate Larson and the Bucktown Village Foundation.

Download the free app from the iPhone App or Google Play stores. Search for “Harriet Tubman Byway.” If you already have the audio guide on your cell phone, you will need to delete it and reinstall the updated version with the new experiences.

Virtual reality experiences bring powerful stories to lifeJill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:08-04:00

22 12, 2020

Christmas Eve Walk commemorates escape

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:28-04:00

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 escapeJill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:28-04:00

9 11, 2020

Tubman Visitor Center, Museum re-open to public

Jill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:51-04:00

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 publicJill Jasuta2021-09-07T10:07:51-04:00

2 10, 2020

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

Jill Jasuta2020-10-02T19:01:40-04:00

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, MDJill Jasuta2020-10-02T19:01:40-04:00

1 10, 2020

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

Jill Jasuta2020-10-02T19:01:01-04:00

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 beginningJill Jasuta2020-10-02T19:01:01-04:00

5 09, 2020

Women begin 116-mile walk of Tubman Byway

Jill Jasuta2020-09-05T09:25:43-04:00

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 BywayJill Jasuta2020-09-05T09:25:43-04:00

28 08, 2020

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

Jill Jasuta2020-09-07T11:27:38-04:00

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. 12Jill Jasuta2020-09-07T11:27:38-04:00

7 08, 2020

Take the Tubman Byway Visitor Survey

Jill Jasuta2020-09-07T11:20:25-04:00

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 SurveyJill Jasuta2020-09-07T11:20:25-04:00

14 03, 2020

Tubman Visitor Center, Tubman Museum temporarily closed

Jill Jasuta2020-07-01T09:32:13-04:00

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 closedJill Jasuta2020-07-01T09:32:13-04:00

20 02, 2020

Harriet Tubman Banquet – POSTPONED

Jill Jasuta2020-03-14T09:59:39-04:00

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 – POSTPONEDJill Jasuta2020-03-14T09:59:39-04:00

9 02, 2020

Free “Harriet” screening Feb. 13

Jill Jasuta2020-02-09T18:10:11-05:00

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. 13Jill Jasuta2020-02-09T18:10:11-05:00

1 02, 2020

Harriet Tubman Day events March 7 at the Tubman Visitor Center

Jill Jasuta2020-03-14T10:08:43-04:00

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 CenterJill Jasuta2020-03-14T10:08:43-04:00

12 01, 2020

Black History Month events at Tubman Visitor Center

Jill Jasuta2020-01-28T08:20:08-05:00

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 CenterJill Jasuta2020-01-28T08:20:08-05:00

4 12, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-12-04T08:05:57-05:00

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. 5Jill Jasuta2019-12-04T08:05:57-05:00

27 10, 2019

Watch “Harriet,” then experience her homeland

Jill Jasuta2019-11-06T10:47:30-05:00

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 homelandJill Jasuta2019-11-06T10:47:30-05:00

21 10, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2020-06-26T11:56:38-04:00

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.Jill Jasuta2020-06-26T11:56:38-04:00

15 10, 2019

Frederick Douglass walking tours Oct. 19, 20

Jill Jasuta2019-10-15T13:16:58-04:00

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, 20Jill Jasuta2019-10-15T13:16:58-04:00

5 10, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-10-05T07:59:13-04:00

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. 11Jill Jasuta2019-10-05T07:59:13-04:00

25 08, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-08-28T11:37:40-04:00

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 eventsJill Jasuta2019-08-28T11:37:40-04:00

23 08, 2019

Emancipation Day Celebration is Sept. 14

Jill Jasuta2019-09-10T10:31:40-04:00

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. 14Jill Jasuta2019-09-10T10:31:40-04:00

20 08, 2019

Harriet Tubman movie premieres Sept. 14 at Tubman Visitor Center

Jill Jasuta2019-08-20T09:11:32-04:00

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

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 CenterJill Jasuta2019-08-20T09:11:32-04:00

16 08, 2019

Free concert Sept. 5: Sunpie performs African spirituals

Jill Jasuta2019-08-16T14:57:11-04:00

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 spiritualsJill Jasuta2019-08-16T14:57:11-04:00

25 07, 2019

“Harriet” movie trailer inspires nationwide buzz

Jill Jasuta2019-07-30T14:25:41-04:00

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 buzzJill Jasuta2019-07-30T14:25:41-04:00

24 07, 2019

Day of Resilience set for Sept. 7

Jill Jasuta2019-09-10T10:30:32-04:00

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. 7Jill Jasuta2019-09-10T10:30:32-04:00

29 06, 2019

New Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge goes viral

Jill Jasuta2019-07-25T14:42:56-04:00

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 viralJill Jasuta2019-07-25T14:42:56-04:00

28 06, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-08-26T16:07:19-04:00

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. 21Jill Jasuta2019-08-26T16:07:19-04:00

5 04, 2019

Tubman UGRR Conference is May 31-June 1

Jill Jasuta2019-05-18T10:34:01-04:00

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 1Jill Jasuta2019-05-18T10:34:01-04:00

2 04, 2019

Heritage Area Releases Cell Phone Tours

Julie Gilberto-Brady2019-04-02T10:11:49-04:00

Tours celebrate history, heritage

To celebrate Dorchester County’s 350^thanniversary, 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 ToursJulie Gilberto-Brady2019-04-02T10:11:49-04:00

19 03, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-03-19T16:08:29-04:00

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 EscapeJill Jasuta2019-03-19T16:08:29-04:00

24 02, 2019

Harriet Tubman Day events on March 10

Jill Jasuta2019-02-28T11:08:16-05:00

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 10Jill Jasuta2019-02-28T11:08:16-05:00

16 02, 2019

Tubman Banquet is March 9 in Cambridge, MD

Jill Jasuta2019-02-28T11:10:05-05:00

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, MDJill Jasuta2019-02-28T11:10:05-05:00

1 02, 2019

Follow the Footsteps: Harriet Tubman Tour Feb. 23

Jill Jasuta2019-02-10T11:45:07-05:00

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. 23Jill Jasuta2019-02-10T11:45:07-05:00

1 02, 2019

Call for proposals for annual Tubman UGRR Conference

Jill Jasuta2019-02-12T08:14:31-05:00

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 ConferenceJill Jasuta2019-02-12T08:14:31-05:00

24 01, 2019

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

Jill Jasuta2019-01-24T11:28:20-05:00

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 & talkJill Jasuta2019-01-24T11:28:20-05:00

Day of Resilience

Emancipation Day at the Tubman Visitor Center

Tours of the byway by boat, kayak, and on foot

Walking tour of Frederick Douglass in Cambridge

A Walk in the Woods at Peter’s Neck

Harriet Tubman Museum and Educational Center (Site #5)

Joseph Stewart’s Canal/Parsons Creek (Site #10)

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center (Site #13)

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Site #14)

Bucktown General Store (Site #17)

Faith Community United Methodist Church (Site #21)

Bucktown Crossroads

Bayly House

Stanley Institute

Leverton House

Collaboration & Research

Tubman statue

Town Hall on Africa

Related art exhibits

ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

Music and Ranger-led Programs

Self-guided Activities: Available throughout the day

Fridays – Feb. 7, 14, 21 and 28:

Saturdays – Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29:

Sundays – Feb. 2, 9, 16 and 23:

Chesapeake Underground: Charting a Course Toward Freedom

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

SATURDAY, OCT. 19

SUNDAY, OCT. 20

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

September 7, all day A Day of Resilience

September 14, 10am-4pm Emancipation Day Celebration

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

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

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

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

Exclusive showing in Dorchester County

Special events complement movie premiere

Powerful addition to Underground Railroad story

Tours celebrate history, heritage

Pine Street Tour

Download the Tours

Symbolism in Harriet; Symbolism in Me

Behind the Scenes of Harriet Tubman: Soldier of Freedom

Reading Ranger

Smithville

Mancala! Mancala! Mancala!

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

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

September 7, all day
A Day of Resilience

September 14, 10am-4pm
Emancipation Day Celebration

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

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

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

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