The new Harriet Tubman sculpture “Beacon of Hope” was dedicated in Dorchester County this month.
Harriet Tubman was known as the Moses of her people. As a conductor on the Underground Railroad, she led nearly 70 slaves to freedom, making 13 separate trips to Maryland. Tubman also served as a scout, spy, guerrilla soldier, and nurse for the Union Army during the Civil War. Artist Wesley Wofford wanted to create a sculpture that would serve as a symbol of Harriet Tubman’s legacy. Specific events in Tubman’s life are an integral part of the sculpture’s design, including chains at the base and the gold star compass in Tubman’s hand.
After nearly two years of grassroots efforts, the 13-foot bronze sculpture now stands in front of the Circuit Court House in Cambridge, only a few miles from where Tubman was born. The dedication on September 10 was attended by nearly 1,000 people and was filled with deep emotions, dance, poetry, and music.
September is International Underground Railroad Month and 2022 is the bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth. Learn more about African American history in Maryland’s counties with these Conduit Street Fun Facts:
- The Significance of November 1st
- A 200th Birthday Celebration
- A Tuskegee Airman Lived in this County
- Celebrating Black Women in Maryland History
- The First Communities of Free Blacks in the State Are in These Counties
- Which Maryland County Was the Home of Harriet Tubman?
- Which County is Home to a Community Built by Former Slaves Who Fought in the Civil War?
Do you have a fun fact to share about your county? If so, please send it to Allison Valliant to be featured in MACo’s weekly Fun Fact on Conduit Street.
