ALT The tour started in front of the "Beacon of Hope" sculpture of Harriet Tubman, created by Wesley Wofford. “The base of the statue represents the hundreds of thousands of lives adversely affected by slavery. The shackles at the base represent all those lives. When she was a girl, Araminta was accidentally hit in the head with a two-pound weight by an overseer aiming for an enslaved boy at the Bucktown General Store. She nearly died, and suffered from seizures and visions the rest of her life. Harriet talked about that event turning her into Harriet Tubman and giving her the visions that helped her along her path. This statue is her first vision – of her future self. Her future self is handing a generational key to her… She is giving her the strength to say this is the strong woman you need to become, because you’re going to need me now – and 200 years from now they’re still going to need us. So reach within yourself and become that woman" -Wofford

ALT Base of "Beacon of Hope" statue

ALT Murals of Harriet Tubman are seen throughout Cambridge.

ALT "Take My Hand" mural created by Michael Rosato. “The inspiration comes from that moment when a slave has to make a decision to go. This incredibly strong and compassionate woman is about to offer that hand for that freedom. And I thought, how do I capture that moment where it all happens, when the risk was taken to run from the slave owner, to a woman taking a risk to bring you through to the other side. This is that special moment when the hand is being offered. She has to be compassionate, but has to assert a certain authority.” -Rosato

ALT Ubalt history students' field trip to St. Mary's Spiritual Center and Historic Site (March 202)--Thanks, Terry and Annie, for the wonderful tour!