Harriet Tubman monument unveiled in Newark, New Jersey

Harriet Tubman Day is observed every year on March 10 in the United States and this year a monument was unveiled in New Jersey to commemorate the occasion.

“Shadow of a Face,” which is a phrase in the 1962 Robert Hayden poem, “Runagate Runagate,” now sits in Harriet Tubman Square in the heart of Newark, honoring the city’s contribution to the Underground Railroad and its long history of involvement in the Black liberation movement.

It replaces the controversial Christopher Columbus statue, demolished in June 2020, according to a press release.

The 25-foot monument, a creation of Nina Cooke John, features an audio installation of the abolitionist’s life titled “Monumental: Harriet Tubman and Newark’s Liberation Movement.” Newark native Queen Latifah leads the audio performance, which is free to Audible listeners around the world.

“Let’s forever remember Harriet Tubman for her compassion, courage, bravery, service to others, and her commitment to faith, family, fortitude and freedom,” said Michele Jones Galvin, a great-great-great-grandniece of Tubman, who participated in the ribbon-cutting. 

Galvin added that she hopes the monument will honor her aunt’s bravery, encourage future generations to speak out against injustice and teach the importance of helping the most vulnerable members of our society.

The monument has a circular learning wall leading visitors through a multi-sensory venture where they can read educational text and listen to tales about Tubman’s life and the history of Black freedom in the city.

Community involvement was a crucial component of Cooke John’s design plan, encouraging residents to “buy a brick” to be put in a specific section of the monument to cement their presence and record their tales of liberation for the audio experience.

The Monument Lab recently conducted research, which the Mellon Foundation backed, and found that most monuments in the United States depict certain demographics and omit significant portions of the nation’s history.

“In a time when so many cities are choosing to topple statues that limit the scope of their people’s story, we have chosen to erect a monument that spurs us into our future story of exemplary strength and solidity,” said Mayor Ras J. Baraka. “In a country where the overwhelming majority of monuments are testaments to white males, Newark has chosen to erect a monument to a Black woman who was barely five feet tall, but had the visage and power of a giant.”

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