Harriet Tubman Park
Born a slave, Harriett Tubman (1822 - March 10, 1913) became a famous "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom.
At the age of 28, she escaped slavery in Maryland when her master died. She spent the rest of her life helping other escape to the North and be free.
She died poor on March 10, 1913 in Auburn, New York.
Harriet Tubman never lived in Boston. She visited the city many times to recruit people to help with the Underground Railroad. She frequently stayed at the Lewis and Harriet Hayden House at 66 Phillips Street.
Ten Things that I learned about the Harriet Tubman Square
- Opened on June 15,1999 (86 years after her death)
- The square is only 8,712 square-feet. The sculpture is 10-foot-high and 7-foot-wide titled "Step on Board"
- According to the Boston Art association this is the first statue in Boston property to be honoring a women. Some people may think that the Mary Dyer statue is the first but thats on State House property.
- Created by Fern Cunningham, a local sculpture.
- The Harriet Tubman statue is showing her leading others to freedom with the bible under her arms. Fern Cunningham put her father's face on one of the runaway slaves.
- There are two monuments in Harriet Square. The Harriet Tubman statue is at the xxx. The Emancipation statue is in the center of the square.
- The Emancipation statue was created in 1913 Emancipation by Meta Vaux Warrick Fuller (1877-1968).
- The Emancipation statue was once in Park Square. It was recast and placed in the Harriett Tubman park.
- On the ground around the Harriet Tubman Statue are pavers created by children in Brookline and the South End. These pavers represent quilts designs that were hung in the windows as a secret message to those going on the Underground Railroad.
- The Harriet Tubman House, a settlement house for black women who had migrated from the South, is nearby at 566 Columbus Ave.
Only Outdoor Monument to Herriet Tubman?
There is a Harriet Tubman statue in New York city it was put up on November, 13, 2008. In 2016, there was a movement to put one in the Capital building in Washington DC.
Did you know that in 2015 Harriet Tubman was the "People's Choice" to be the next face on the $20 bill. She would replace Andrew Jackson. The last time the face on the $20 bill was changed was in the 1920s when Jackson replaced Grover Cleveland.
Sample design someone created
If she does replace Andrew Jackson, it could bring more attention to the Harriet Tubman Square.
In 1978, The United States Post Office included Harriet Tubman in their Black Heritage stamp Series.
Some Quotes attributed to Harriet Tubman
-- Harriet Tubman, Abolitionist
-- Harriet Tubman, Abolitionist quote on the back side of the monument.
-- Harriet Tubman, Abolitionist quote on the back side of the monument.