Harriet Tubman - The Journey to Freedom Statue Arrives in Auburn

AUBURN, NY - The New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center and the City of Auburn are
excited to announce the arrival of “Harriet Tubman - The Journey to Freedom“ traveling
exhibition.
The sculpture has traveled across the country, striking a meaningful
conversation about the life of Harriet Tubman. The exhibition will display
on the property of the historic Harriet Tubman Home (180 South Street,
Auburn, NY), where she lived as a free woman for more than 50 years,
from July 1 through August 31, 2022. This exhibition is made possible
by support provided by the City of Auburn’s American Rescue Plan Act
(ARPA) allocation of funds to support the City of Auburn Historic and
Cultural Sites Commission’s Harriet Tubman Bicentennial project, and a
grant from the Cayuga Community Fund Leadership Council funds at the Central New York
Community Foundation.
“Harriet Tubman is a great American hero and Auburn is proud to host the Journey to Freedom
statue this summer,” said City of Auburn Mayor Michael D. Quill. “We invite all to celebrate the
bicentennial of Harriet Tubman’s birth by visiting our city to view this tribute to her and exploring
the places that are part of where she lived in freedom. Her over five decades living in Auburn
can be experienced with visits to her home or by walking the same streets she did on a guided
National Park Service tour.”
Award-winning sculptor Wesley Wofford created the powerful piece to represent the challenges
Tubman faced on her journey, symbolism of equality, and freedom that had yet to come.
“Harriet is leaning into the wind with her shoulder, eyes cut formidably up, bracing herself
against the elements.” He added, “The wind illustrates the peril of the journey and serves as a
metaphor for the intense opposition she faced.”
Although the exhibit will arrive Friday, July 1, the official celebration of the statue will be held on
July 23, with more details to come.
“I am honored that ‘The Journey to Freedom’ is being exhibited in Auburn at Harriet Tubman’s
homesite,” said sculptor Wesley Wofford. “In my mind this hallowed ground may be the most
significant location of her life being the place the newly liberated free woman chose to be her
home. And it will be exciting and humbling to see and meet so many of her descendants as they
are the direct conduit to such a legendary woman. Harriet Tubman’s legacy and voice resonates
through the centuries and continues to inspire us all to take action to forge a more equitable
future. This traveling statue has ignited a national dialogue thanks to the activists and partners
that have built such important programming around her and I am honored to in some small way
assist in amplifying her message.”
Available Tours
The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc. is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday until 3 p.m.,
offering daily tours at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. by appointment. The National Park Service provides
free tours at 2 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, in addition to a 10 a.m. walking tour from the
Equal Rights Heritage Center, 25 South Street, Auburn. For more information, visit
harriettubman200.com and harriettubmanhome.com.
Media or press outlets planning to visit the statue this week, please contact Courtney Rae
Kasper at courtney@auburndowntown.org or Lanaya Montague at lanaya@lalewpr.com.