“The Spirit of Harriet Tubman” Comes to Moton

FARMVILLE – On Tuesday, February 13th, the Robert Russa Moton Museum is proud to host a tribute to the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman. Performed by special guest Diane Faison, “The Spirit of Harriet Tubman” is a moving, emotional recollection of the life and times of the leader of the Underground Railroad, from her birth in the 1820s to the secretive origins of her rescue missions as a part of the Abolitionist Movement, and beyond.

Harriet Tubman was born into slavery circa 1822. After years of abuse, mistreatment, and several attempts to achieve freedom for her and her family, Tubman was finally able to escape from her master in 1849. After being assisted in her escape by various abolitionists, slaves, and activist groups like the Quakers, Tubman made the daring decision to begin assisting in the escapes of over 70 enslaved people over the course of over a dozen escape missions, utilizing the same Underground Railroad that had led her to freedom in the first place. Nicknamed “Moses” because she never lost a passenger, Tubman continued to assist in the escape of slaves even after the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 was passed, putting herself at risk to help those that deserved their freedom. Later in her life, Tubman worked with Susan B. Anthony in support of the Women’s Suffrage movement, before passing away in 1913.

Diane Faison attended high school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and received her bachelor’s degree in art appreciation from North Carolina Central University in 1968, eventually taking graduate courses at Longwood University and the University of Virginia. Faison has studied the life of Harriet Tubman, eventually writing the one-woman play “The Spirit of Harriet Tubman,” which she has performed at various schools, universities, and churches since its humble beginnings.

“The Spirit of Harriet Tubman” will be performed at the Moton Museum, located at 900 Griffin Boulevard in Farmville, Virginia. The show will start at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13th. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, or for a complete calendar of events, please visit http://www.motonmuseum.org/calendar/.