This Christmas Eve join the friends of Walk to Freedom and the Harriet Tubman Museum and Education Center for a 3.5 mile outdoor, sunset, walk to commemorate the 168th Anniversary of Harriet Tubman’s Christmas rescue. For more information and to register for the event go to: harriettubmanmuseumcenter.org
Background
Sometime on Christmas Day in 1854, Harriet Tubman secretly came out of hiding and gathered near a corn crib on Anthony Thompson’s sprawling 2,000 acre plantation to emancipate her brothers Ben, Henry and Robert from slavery. Time was of the essence to take advantage of the rare holiday time-off given to the enslaved, and to make the Underground Railroad connections prearranged with other conductors further up the line. Tubman learned there were 10 people who wanted to runaway that day, but her brother Robert was missing. He was late. With little time to waste, Harriet and her party slipped away from the plantation unseen arriving on the doorstep of William Still’s office in Philadelphia four days later.
Our walk to freedom will take place on the land where Harriet Tubman conducted at least two rescues. During the walk we will be serenaded with Code songs performed by Linda Harris and David Cole. Ken Johnston, a Philadelphia-based walking artist, will talk about his journey tracing Harriet Tubman’s journey to Canada from the Eastern Shore. At the conclusion of the walk, lanterns will be released into the sky to symbolize the beginning of our journey to freedom.
The late afternoon walk will finish in the dark to provide a sensory experience of what it was like to escape at night from Poplar Neck. Headlamps and hiking shoes are recommended. One part of the walk will involve walking through a wet, marshy area. A bus will transport participants back to their cars at the end of the walk.
