Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born 200 years ago in Maryland, Harriet Tubman was a conductor of the Underground Railroad, a Civil War scout, nurse and spy, and one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history.
Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom and Becoming Frederick Douglass are co-productions of Firelight Films and Maryland Public Television with an appropriation from the State of Maryland. These programs are also made possible by Bowie State University, DIRECTV, and Pfizer Inc.
WCNY, in partnership with the Seward House Museum, invites you to attend the “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” screening and discussion event, Thursday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Carriage House Theater in Auburn, NY!
Join us as we explore the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Watch clips from the new film, “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom,” and participate in a live Q&A panel discussion with local history experts.
The welcome reception begins at 5:30 p.m. with light refreshments, followed by the screening and discussion at 6 p.m. There is no fee to attend the event, but registration is required.
Judith Gladys Bryant
Born in Auburn, Judith Gladys Bryant grew up in Skaneateles, graduated from Syracuse University, and moved to New York City. As a great-great grandniece of Harriet Tubman she descended from her brother Henry Ross whose name was changed to William Henry Stewart in 1854. His son, William Henry Stewart, Jr. built the house where she lives, in about 1901. His daughter Alida was her grandmother. His son Charles was her great uncle. Alida’s daughter, Gladys, was her mother.”
Vanessa Johnson
Vanessa Johnson is a griot, a storyteller in the West African Tradition. She is a writer, a playwright, an actor, a fiber artist, museum consultant, community activist, community researcher, reaching artist, and she directs her storytelling band “Mate Masie.” “Mate Masie” recently performed “One Soul at a Time” – Singing Harriet Tubman at the Cayuga Museum Carriage House in Auburn N.Y. In August, her fiber arts show “The Spirituality of Harriet Tubman,” was on exhibit at the Schweinfurth Art Center and at the Cayuga Museum in Auburn, NY.
Kimerly Cornish
A native of Cambridge, MD and a collateral descendant of Harriet Tubman, Kimerly Cornish holds a B.A. in English with a specialization in Creative Writing and a minor in Women’s Studies from Oberlin College. She has served as a curatorial assistant on several exhibitions, including an early all-African diaspora pavilion at the Venice Biennale and the first official U.S. entry in the Dakar Biennale. She researches and gives talks on representations of Harriet Tubman in visual culture.
Justin Harris
Tour guide and former interpretive intern for Harriet Tubman National Historical Park. He’s a writer, rapper, and singer songwriter. Even though he grew up in North Carolina, Auburn is now his home much like Harriet Tubman. Currently he is applying to be a Park Ranger for Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, so he can continue telling Harriet’s story to everyone who comes to Auburn.
Jeffrey Ludwig
Jeffrey is the Director of Education at the Seward House Museum in Auburn. He holds a PhD in U.S. history from the University of Rochester, where he has conducted significant research in the Seward Family archives. Previously, Jeffrey worked for the Office of the Rochester City Historian and taught history at SUNY Geneseo.
