Next Saturday, Harriet Tubman will take her proper place in front of the Dorchester County Courthouse. With the support of the Alpha Genesis Community Development Corporation and sculptor Wesley Wofford, a permanent statue of one of America’s most remarkable heroines will be unveiled with perhaps a thousand or more residents and dignitaries paying homage to the native Dorchester County civil rights leader. 

For the record, another Harriet was there before. Alpha Genesis had arranged in 2020 for another sculpture (Journey to Freedom) by the same artist to be on display for a month before it eventually was moved into in a private collection in Texas. But the appearance of the first Harriet lit a fire with the community development corporation to courageously take on the task of finding close to $300,000 for the public art project. A stunning fundraising success story in its own right. 

Now, the fruit of that labor will be on display beginning September 10 (The Day of Resilience) and every day after that as Harriet’s image welcomes visitors to this building of justice. 

The Spy spent some time last month talking to Wesley Wofford about the project and his own unique journey with Harriet over the past few years and the particular challenges that come with depicting this American saint. 

This video is approximately four minutes in length.

The Day of Resilience commemoration and unveiling ceremony, which is free and open to the public, will begin at noon on Sept. 10 on the Dorchester County Courthouse lawn (206 High St., Cambridge, MD) and will feature Keynote Speaker Samuel C. Still III, a descendant of the famous Civil War Abolitionist William Still.

Videography by Henley Moore. An Eastern Shore native, Henley Moore’s favorite stories to tell are about her home. After graduating from St. John’s College in Annapolis she worked as a reporter with with Star Democrat, Video Producer for The National Aquarium, and  is currently a freelance photographer and videographer.