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Event- Harriet Tubman: The Journey to Freedom Traveling Statue Exhibit at Brookgreen Gardens

Wesley Wofford’s Journey to Freedom Harriet Tubman Statue has been touring the country since 2020. Until the end of this month (January 2024) it is at Brookgreen Sculpture Gardens at 1931 Brookgreen Drive in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. The nine-foot tall 2400-pound statue honors and pays tribute to Harriet Tubman’s commitment and resilience in the fight for freedom. The interpretation of the monument underneath the pictures is taken from the Wofford Sculpture Studio website.

Free with paid admission to the Gardens
The Journey Begins- Harriet is confidently leading an enslaved girl on the Underground Railroad to freedom. She is leaning into the wind with her shoulder, chin down, and bracing herself against the elements. Her eyes are cut formidably up, anticipating the next part of the journey. The wind illustrates the peril of the journey but is also a metaphor for the intense opposition she faced.
Protecting the Future- Harriet’s dress is protectively enveloping the girl, billowing like a flag. This represents all of the legal protections afforded to every United States citizen- a symbol of the future equality to come.
Looking Forward- Each hand on the sculpture signifies an attribute: Determination, Protection, Fear, and Trust. The enslaved girl is leaning out to get a better look at where Harriet is taking her with a look of trepidation on her face. The girl is gripping Harriet’s right arm tightly but her delicate finger grasp is cautiously hopeful.
Taking the First Step- The contours of the base are the Maryland/Delaware Peninsula where Harriet was enslaved, eventually escaped, and continued to return for her freedom raids. The dramatic step up/cut is the Pennsylvania state line and the two are stepping out of the slave states to an elevated freedom.
Leaving Slavery Behind- The girl is off balance and tentatively taking a step forward- her left foot precariously hanging off a cliff, illustrating the danger and peril of the journey. The shackles are broken and the atrocities of slavery are left forever behind.
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