A statue of Harriet Tubman created by artist

Jane DeDecker Jane DeDecker (born 30 August 1961) is a sculptor from Iowa. She specializes in bronze work and her pieces often feature family groups or children. DeDecker was born in Marengo, Iowa on 30 August 1961 and attended the University of Northern Color ...

honors the life of abolitionist

Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. After escaping slavery, Tubman made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends, us ...

. The

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

statue depicts Tubman walking and holding the hand of a young boy. There are several installations of identical copies of the statue, in

Ypsilanti, Michigan Ypsilanti ( ), commonly shortened to Ypsi ( ), is a college town and city located on the Huron River in Washtenaw County, Michigan, Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city's popu ...

, in

Little Rock, Arkansas Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

, in

Gainesville, Georgia Gainesville is a city and the county seat of Hall County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 42,296. Because of its large number of poultry processing plants, it has been calle ...

, and in

Mesa, Arizona Mesa ( ) is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. The population was 504,258 at the 2020 census. It is the List of municipalities in Arizona, third-most populous city in Arizona, after Phoenix, Arizona, Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona, T ...

Installations

The statue was made in an edition of seven. Critics have noted that the statue's expression suggests Tubman's "gentle caring manner and generosity." The statue in

, was unveiled on 21 May, 2006, as part of a redevelopment of a plaza adjacent to the Ypsilanti District Library. Two years later, the library board added a plaque to the statue describing Tubman's life and achievements as a response to local queries about the statue; the original plaque was located at the base of the rear of the statue in an area difficult to read easily. The plaque and statue commemorate Ypsilanti's connection to the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

. The one in

, was originally placed in Little Rock's Riverfront Park; however, during the construction of the Game and Fish Nature Center in the park it was relocated to the entrance of

Clinton Presidential Center The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum is the presidential library of Bill Clinton, who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. It is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and includes the Clinton Preside ...

as part of a series of six pieces of art lining a walkway from the downtown area of Little Rock to the Presidential Center. The one in

, is located at the entrance to Thurmond–McRae Lecture Hall on the campus of

Brenau University Brenau University is a private university in Gainesville, Georgia. Founded in 1878, the university enrolls more than 2,800 students from approximately 48 states and 17 foreign countries who seek degrees ranging from associate through doctoral ...

. Its installation was the first instance of an educational institution in the southern United States honoring Tubman in such a visible way. A further identical statue is located on the campus of

References

{{Harriet Tubman 2006 establishments in Michigan Brenau University Monuments and memorials to Harriet Tubman Monuments and memorials in Georgia (U.S. state) Monuments and memorials in Michigan Tubman Sculptures of women in Arkansas Sculptures of women in Georgia (U.S. state) Sculptures of women in Michigan Statues in Arkansas Statues in Georgia (U.S. state) Statues in Michigan Sculptures of children in the United States