After nearly two decades of advocacy, it’s finally official: A national historic park commemorating the legacy of abolitionist Harriet Tubman will be created in Auburn.
A signing ceremony was held Tuesday in Washington, where Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell established it as the 414th unit of the National Park System. She was joined by Senator Chuck Schumer, who was among those to initiate the process to establish the park not long after he took office in 1999, and introduced legislation to establish the park. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative John Katko were also on hand, as well as President and CEO of the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. Karen V. Hill. The organization will run the park jointly with the National Park Service.
The AME Zion Church has played a pivotal role in protecting the Tubman residence, the Thompson AME Zion Church, and the Tubman Home for the Aged since Tubman passed away in 1913 at around age 90. The church and rectory were built in 1891, and both are across the street from the Fort Hill Cemetery, the location of Tubman's grave. The church, rectory, Tubman's home, and other structures within the boundary of the park are largely intact, and will provide a physical platform from which to tell Tubman's story. Tubman spent more than half of her long life in Auburn, where she not only helped slaves escape, but also cared for the sick and aged, and advocated for women's suffrage.
There have been other efforts to honor the legacy of Harriet Tubman. Rep. Katko and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) introduced the bi-partisan Harriet Tubman Tribute Act, which would require the Secretary of the Treasury to place Harriet Tubman's likeness on a Federal Reserve Note. Later this year, Tubman will appear on the $20 bill.
The National Park Service is planning to host a celebratory event this spring in Auburn to mark the creation of the park with the larger community.
