Maryland and National Park Service to Host Harriet Tubman Day Symposium

Event will Explore the Universal Definition and Reach of Freedom

Celebrate the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman at a symposium on March 10 from 4:00-5:30 p.m. at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge visitor center in Cambridge. Hosted by the National Park Service and Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the evening will feature a panel of scholars and historians delving into African American history, the journey toward equality and the true meaning of freedom. The Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge visitor center is located at 2145 Key Wallace Drive.

“Few people have achieved such high recognition, have climbed up from more unpromising beginnings or have overcome greater obstacles than Harriet Tubman,” Superintendent of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park Robert Parker said. “She remains the focus of admirers who look to her for inspiration well into the 21^st century.”

Guests will listen to panel discussions on topics such as civil disobedience and resistance, explore the notion that the Underground Railroad served as the historical backdrop for the Civil Rights Movement and more. The event aims to challenge this and future generations to think more provocatively about slavery and explore how the Network to Freedom idea shaped a modern day movement in the U.S. and across the globe.

“We are grateful to have these amazing minds offering an in-depth look into the life and times of Harriet Tubman,” Maryland Natural Resources Secretary Mark Belton said. “Our hope is that this symposium will provide an opportunity for open discussion about diversity and race in the context of historical and experiential knowledge and thought. Maryland is proud of its history and its partnership with the National Park Service.”

In addition to the moderator, Dr. Ida Jones, the event will feature panelists Dr. Kate Clifford Larson, Dr. Elizabeth Clark-Lewis and Dr. Dann Broyld, along with special remarks from national and state park officials.

Registration is required and space is limited, so please reserve your seat with the Maryland Park Service’s Alison Woodfield at Alison.Woodfield@Maryland.gov or 410-260-8167. This program is being carried out through a partnership between the Maryland Park Service Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and the National Park Service Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park.

Still under construction, the 17-acre Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park is located just south of Cambridge, Maryland. The park will include a 10,000-square foot exhibit building, administration building, memorial garden, trail, picnic pavilion and serve as the trail head for the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway.  The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad visitor center is slated to open next Harriet Tubman Day, March 10, 2017.