The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park & Visitor Center hosts Emancipation Day to celebrate Harriet Tubman’s decision to self-liberate, which she made in September 1849. On Sunday, September 18, from 10am to 4pm, the event will include educational programs and family fun. Activities include a birding outing, an interactive foraging tour with historian Anthony Cohen, and children’s games. Topics of the talks include “Black Jacks, Iron Furnaces, and the Underground Railroad;” “African American Women in the Civil War;” and “Gloria Richardson and the Cambridge Civil Rights Movement.” Self-guided activities include Park Quest, Junior Ranger (original version), and Junior Ranger (sights and sounds of freedom version). This  year marks 2oo years since Harriet Tubman’s birth. September is also International Underground Railroad Month in Maryland.

Here is the full schedule.

10 a.m.: Birds of Tubman Country. Let’s go birding! Join Ranger Lawson on a fun-filled outing in the park’s Legacy Garden. Make sure to bring your binoculars! Please meet at the north deck of the Visitor Center.

11 a.m.: Reminiscing on Nostalgia. Join Ranger “Mama Mary” Dennard on this interactive journey down memory lane as she looks back at the past and her early years spent in Dorchester County. Understand the progress that has been made as she shares her life experiences and encourages you to appreciate your life in 2022. Please meet in the multi-purpose room inside the Visitor Center.

Noon: They Pointed Them North: Black Jacks, Iron Furnaces, and the Underground Railroad. Join Ranger Tim and learn about the vital roles played by Black Jacks and iron furnaces on the Underground Railroad. Please meet in the multi-purpose room inside the Visitor Center.

1 p.m.: African American Women in the Civil War. Join Ranger Henry and delve into Harriet Tubman’s time in the Union Army and the important roles women played in the Civil War. Harriet Tubman is best known for her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. Lesser known is that from 1862 to 1865 she served the Union Army as a nurse and a scout, even helping to lead an armed raid. Please meet in the multi-purpose room inside the Visitor Center.

2 p.m.: The Fight Continues: Gloria Richardson and the Cambridge Civil Rights Movement. Join Ranger Collin and learn about the perseverance, determination, and activism of Gloria Richardson. A century after the birth of Harriet Tubman, one brave woman would stand up and lead a fight against racism and oppression. She would create an electrifying movement that drew the eyes of a nation to the small city of Cambridge. Though she is often forgotten, the legacy of Gloria Richardson and the fight she started continues to this day. Please meet in the multi-purpose room inside the Visitor Center.

3 p.m.: Foraging Freedom: Experiencing the Natural World of the Underground Railroad. Join historian Anthony Cohen for an immersive experience and discover how self-liberators used the natural world to assist in their escapes. This interactive tour will guide visitors along paths through the Legacy Garden, as well as the adjoining Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and reveal how the flora, fauna, and landscape of the Eastern Shore played a crucial role in the quest for freedom! Participants should expect to be on their feet and are encouraged to wear comfortable all-weather shoes. No dogs are allowed on the refuge. Please meet at the pavilion.

All-day Activities:

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom (Extended Trailer). View on-the-hour screenings of Maryland Public Television’s extended trailer for “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” in the theater.

Noon-3 p.m.: Children’s Games. Join Ranger Joanna for some family fun in our legacy garden. Activities will include traditional children’s games such as marbles, horseshoes, jump rope, and potato sack races!

Address: 4068 Golden Hill Road, Church Creek, Maryland 21622
Phone: 410-221-2290

While you’re here, plan a road trip to explore more of the Harriet Tubman Byway. More info.