From Trenton to Auburn to pay homage to a woman called Moses

I couldn’t think of a better way to close out Women’s History Month than to honor abolitionist, social activist, nurse, armed scout and spy for the Union Army, Harriet Tubman, who “never lost a passenger” on the Underground Railroad, a network of people, places, and routes, that helped enslaved people find their way to freedom to the north. 

Many people are familiar with Harriet Tubman as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, but few may know the rest of her story. The story that took place in Auburn, NY (Cayuga County), where she lived for over 50 years, owned property, fulfilled her philanthropic work, married her second husband, is laid to rest – and where her legacy lives on today. Some of Tubman’s relatives still live in Auburn till this day and work hard to keep her legacy alive. 

“She had great literacy,” said author and historian, Kate Clifford Lawson, on the four-part podcast, “Walk in her Footsteps: Harriet Tubman’s life in Auburn, New York.”  “And it was a very non-traditional literacy. She could read that night sky and the forest and the fields and the water…she could read people and discern their character. Those are tremendous literacies that we do not traditionally give credit for, but we need to start doing that.”

Tubman was born into slavery in 1822 in Dorchester County, Maryland and was beaten and whipped by enslavers throughout her life. She later escaped to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but would return to Maryland to rescue her family and others as she traveled underneath the cloak of the night’s sky in search of freedom.

During her lifetime Tubman was a nurse, social activist, and is credited for bringing hundreds of enslaved African Americans out of bondage, subsequently given the nickname “Moses”. I have admired her strength and courage ever since I learned about her story as a young boy growing up in New Jersey and wanted to make sure my five-year-old daughter knew about the rich legacy of her ancestors as well as pay homage to a trailblazing woman during Women’s History Month who committed her life to service and fighting for equal rights for women and people of color. 

The four hour plus drive from Trenton, New Jersey to Auburn, New York was made comfortable for my family once we loaded up on gas, snacks, and a playlist of hip-hop and R&B tunes from the 90’s (the best era ever). The scenic views alone are worth the trip upstate to visit the Harriet Tubman Home. 

In January 2017, the Harriet Tubman property was established as a National Historical Park and is operated by The Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., an independent non-profit established by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church to manage the homestead of Ms. Tubman. The non-profit is charged with sharing Harriet Tubman’s core values with visitors through a guided tour of the property that enables visitors to draw a greater connection towards Tubman’s triumphs and tragedies. It’s one thing to read about someone’s life in a book or watch their story in a movie and another to actually walk along the same path they once walked. 

A special thanks to the Cayuga County tourism department for mapping out a wonderful experience over the weekend that included some great local eateries, museums, and warm hospitality. Here are a few places we suggest you visit while in Auburn, New York as the weather warms up and looking for things to do for the weekend.

Café 108: 108 Genesee St., Auburn, NY 13021

@cafe_108

In 2005, the Auburn Public Theater was established to bring people together through affordable access to the arts. Part of that vision included the creation of a community table. Café 108 is that community gathering space, which provides healthy, sustainably grown, delicious food.

Seward House Museum: 33 South St., Auburn, NY 13021
@sewardhousemuseum

This is the home of William H. Seward, U.S. Secretary of State under President Lincoln, and his wife Frances Seward, who invited Harriet Tubman to move to Auburn from Canada and sold her the property that she built her house on. Avid abolitionists, their basement was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad. Also in the basement is the “Forged in Freedom: The Bond of the Seward Tubman Families” exhibit that demonstrates the relationship between the two families.

Prison City Brewing: 28 State St., Auburn, NY 13021
@prisoncitybeer
Prison City Pub & Brewery serves elevated pub food with a focus on farm-to-table cuisine, paired with hand-crafted beers brewed on premise.

Harriet Tubman Home: 180 South St., Auburn, NY 13021
@harriettubmanhome 

See the Harriet Tubman property – which includes The Harriet Tubman Visitor Center, the Tubman Home for Aged and Infirm Negroes, the restored Tubman barn and the Harriet Tubman Residence.

New York Equal Rights Heritage Center: 25 South St., Auburn, NY 13021
@equalrightsheritage

Learn about the New Yorkers who fought for the abolition of slavery – including Harriet Tubman herself, as part of the “Seeing Equal Rights in NYS” interactive exhibit. Step out into the courtyard for a bronze statue of Harriet Tubman. From there, you can also see the Harriet Tubman Memorial Mosaic, on the rear wall of Genesee Center (facing Lincoln Street).

For more information visit tourcayuga.com