A Word from Susan Taylor-Brown
Welcome to the Harriet Tubman Bicentennial Celebration and the arrival of this moving statue, The Journey to Freedom, capturing Harriet leading a child to freedom. I invite you join in fighting today’s racial polarization, we must speak up and counter the divisive rhetoric of so many. Today, we are shining a light on the many contributions of this shero and other Rochester abolitionists and suffragettes.
How did The Journey to Freedom find its way to Rochester? In 2020, I saw a photo of The Journey to Freedom, and I knew it had to come to my hometown, Auburn, NY, where Harriet lived and cared for freed enslaved people at the end of her life. Growing up in Auburn my grandmother told me about Harriet and her fight to free enslaved people by directing the Underground Railroad, serving as a Civil War spy, and caring for elderly freed slaves at her home on South St. Yet, I never had a single lecture about Harriet during my schooling.
So, I reached out to the Auburn Tourism Center encouraging them to bring the statue to Auburn and in the course of our discussions, I realized that it had to come to Rochester too. So, I reserved the statue for a Rochester visit. Due to my health challenges, I did not know how this project would work out, but, I knew it would work. I believed it would happen and indeed it has. To make a long story short, this is a story about people who believe in showcasing the positives of working for racial equity across racial lines. As the Tubman family noted in a recent statement, Harriet worked across racial groups with like-minded people. Our Rochester HTBC is a collaborative effort of many like-minded people. Today would not be happening without the commitment and vision of Jacqueline Sprague.
Early this year, Jacqueline contacted me and together we worked to bring The Journey to Freedom to you. Our shared passion and vision for racial healing united us. The message is straightforward- each one of us can do something to heal the racial divides in our community and foster the growth of ALL members. Jacqueline has worked tirelessly to engage and inspire youth to learn about Harriet and she made our vision a reality. I am grateful for her vision and passion, please join me in honoring Jacqueline. —
Susan Taylor-Brown, PhD