Harriet Tubman’s 200th birthday met with celebration and a year-long proclamation

CHURCH CREEK, Md. – It’s been 200 years since the birth of the well-known abolitionist, Harriet Ross Tubman; A woman who some say was a true hero, a “Moses” of her time. “So she is an inspiration, you want to know how to do that, look at her life,” says a descendant of Tubman, Ernestine Tina Martin Wyatt.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad state park and visitor center are celebrating Tubman’s birthday and legacy all weekend long. “We’re surrounded by a landscape that is largely reminiscent of the 19th century, so when you leave the visitor center, you are seeing what Tubman saw,” says state park manager, Dana Paterra. She adds, “Tubman is a 19th-century American hero who remains relevant even today, especially today. She speaks that regardless of your disadvantages because she was illiterate in the traditional sense, she suffered from seizures, she was enslaved, you can make choices and decisions that have a positive impact on your community and in Tubman’s case, the nation.”

For the first time ever, recently discovered artifacts from the home of Ben Ross, Tubman’s father were showcased. However, it isn’t just about looking at the physical evidence of Tubman’s life, Governor Larry Hogan says the celebration of her life should not end this week or even this month.  “So today I’m pleased to announce that we here in the state of Maryland are officially declaring 2022 as the year of Harriet Tubman,” says Governor Hogan. He adds, “As we mark the by-centennial of her birth that I believe is the true legacy of Harriet Tubman’s extraordinary life and a lesson as to how we can pay tribute to her by looking out for one another and lifting each other up.”

Also joining in on the festivities, one of Tubman’s descendants, her great, great, great niece to be exact. “You wanna do great things, think great as she did,” says Ernestine Wyatt. She adds, “We knew her just as aunt Harriet who did something great and was selfless and giving and that was something she passed down through our line.”

Wyatt goes on to say, she’s carrying Tubman’s legacy forward to this day and hopes everyone can do the same. “She used the gifts that she was given, and we all can do the same thing she was one person that did extraordinary things.”

If you want to visit yourself or check out other Harriet Tubman resources, you can click here.