Maryland is gearing up to celebrate the 200th birthday of abolitionist and suffragist Harriet Tubman with a weekend-long special event next month.
The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park — which will be celebrating its fifth anniversary next month as well — will host the series of free, family-friendly programs on March 12 and 13, according to a news release from Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s office.
The park is located near Tubman’s birthplace in Dorchester County, and is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. According to the governor’s office, the park’s “Team Tubman” staff will be running the weekend’s special programs to honor Tubman’s life and legacy, which will also be available for the rest of the year.
Numerous artifacts from Tubman’s life — many in public for the first time — will also be displayed at the park throughout the month of March.
They include the receipt from a midwife for Tubman’s birth, Tubman’s “runaway” advertisement, and items recovered from the site of her father Ben Ross’ cabin, which was recently discovered and excavated by Maryland Department of Transportation archaeologists.
“Harriet Tubman dedicated her life in selfless service to others and the cause of freedom,” Hogan said in a statement.
“This year, as we celebrate her 200th birthday, we hope that even more Marylanders and visitors from across the country will take time to learn about the most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad and her years-long struggle to lead countless slaves to their freedom.”
The programs and events schedule for the anniversary weekend are as follows:
Friday, March 11
7 p.m. — Virtual Premier of “Rooted Wisdom: Nature’s Role in the Underground Railroad”
- This film chronicles the experiences of freedom seekers’ journeys through the wilderness. The documentary film will stream live on Friday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at naturesrole.org. The virtual event is free and open to all, though registration is encouraged. A panel discussion with historians and filmmakers will follow.
*Following Friday’s premiere, the film will be shown in the park’s multipurpose room every hour at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. throughout the celebratory weekend.
Saturday, March 12
10 a.m. — Opening ceremony featuring a living history interpretation by Millicent Sparks
11 a.m. — The Discovery of the Ben Ross Homesite
- Participants will hear from Dr. Julie Schablitsky of the Maryland Department of Transportation about the successful effort to locate and excavate the homesite of Ben Ross. The artifacts are on display for the first time at the Visitor Center for the entire month of March.
12 p.m. — Foraging Freedom: Experiencing the Natural World of the Underground Railroad
- Attendees can take an interactive walking tour with historian Anthony Cohen through the Legacy Garden and adjacent Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Participants should expect to be on their feet and are encouraged to wear comfortable all-weather shoes.
1 p.m. — Jubilee Voices at Harriet’s House
- The Washington Revels Jubilee Voices will perform during the Tubman 200th festivities. Jubilee Voices is an ensemble that is committed to the preservation of African American history and traditions through songs and storytelling.
2 p.m. — The Education of Harriet Ross Tubman
- Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, discusses the free and enslaved people who helped raise, protect, nurture, and educate Minty to become the woman now known as Harriet Tubman.
3 p.m. — Designing a New Place to Experience History: An Exploration of the Architects
- Attendees can listen to Chris Elcock, associate principal of the architecture firm GWWO Inc., as he explains the design process behind creating the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center
Sunday, March 13
10 a.m. — Meet Harriet Tubman
- Living history interpreter Millicent Sparks performs as Tubman and shares her monumental life with audience members.
11 a.m. — The Hidden Chesapeake Through Harriet Tubman’s Eyes
- Kate Clifford Larson, a Tubman biographer, shares about some of the places around the Chesapeake Bay that bear witness to the histories, memories and legacies of the Underground Railroad and its most famous conductor.
12 p.m. — The Chronicles of Adam
- A reenactor will give a first-person historical interpretation of an enslaved man by the name of Adam.
1 p.m. — The Legacy Hour
- Attendees can hear Community members and listen to musical selections from Renna McKinney as participants honor the lives of Donald Pinder and Herschel Johnson. During the second half-hour, Tina Wyatt — the great, great, great grandniece of Harriet Tubman — will share “A Letter to Soph.”
2 p.m. — The Legacy of Slavery in Maryland
- Chris Haley of the Maryland State Archives will present a general overview of slavery in Maryland, which will include examples of records specifically related to the state and to counties of the Eastern Shore and how both the enslaved and free were affected by the ‘peculiar institution.’
3 p.m. — Freedom Bound
- Participants can join public historian and historical interpreter Marvin-Alonzo Greer in this family-friendly program with interactive songs and stories.
