Harriet Tubman Day Celebrated in March

Music, Games, and Learning Honor a Maryland Legend

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center invites everyone to participate in free, family-friendly programs March 7 to celebrate Harriet Tubman Day. This national observance has special significance in Maryland where the famed abolitionist and suffragette was born and raised; leading dozens to freedom from the Choptank River Region where the park is located.

The actual date of Harriet Tubman Day is March 10 — also the third anniversary of the state park’s opening — but since it falls during the week, events are held on the weekend to allow more people attend.

Visitors can enjoy live music, educational programs, and self-guided activities as the park honors the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman, and the Year of the Woman in Maryland.

Music and ranger-led programs scheduled March 7 include:

10 a.m. in the Pavilion: Spirituals in African-American History — National Park Service Superintendent Deanna Mitchell gives a presentation on the legacy of spirituals in the United States. In case of inclement weather, this program will be held in the Multi-Purpose Room.

11 a.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room: A Musical Journey with Diana Wagner, Eastern Shore multi-instrumentalist and education professor, who specializes in historic and traditional folk and blues music.

Noon in the Research Library: Engaging the audience with stories of Tubman’s youth and time on the Underground Railroad.
1 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room: Songs of Freedom, highlighting the songs featured in the Visitor Center and the recent movie “Harriet.”

2 p.m. in the Research Library: Mancala! Mancala! Mancala! — rangers teach a board game that takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master.

3 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room: Important Women in Harriet Tubman’s Life — highlighting her mother Rit Green Ross, fellow suffragette Susan B. Anthony, and her first biographer, Sarah Bradford.

Self-guided activities available throughout the day include:

The Life and Legacy of Harriet Tubman: Learn more about this celebrated abolitionist with the park’s Junior Rangers.
Sights and Sounds of Freedom: A deep dive into the art and music featured in the Visitor Center.

Steal Away on the Liberty Lines: Guests can compete in group activities to better understand Tubman’s life, and take their own journey through the Legacy Garden.

The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitor Center, soon to begin its fourth year of operation, has hosted hundreds of thousands of visitors from 70 countries and territories and all 50 states. This state-of-the-art, green facility is managed in partnership with the National Park Service.