NEWARK, NJ—The commission and the revealing of the Harriet Tubman monument in what is now Harriet Tubman Square marks a point in our country’s evolution. The memorial, entitled a Shadow of a Face, by architect Nina Cooke John, represents a turning point recognizing that memorials, statues, and monuments should be inspirational. These revered artistic expressions should spark reminders of the creative genius, resourcefulness, struggles, commitment and dedication that molds heroes. The sight should peek at the beacon of greatness in each of us.

For the past hundred or more years, many monuments have been forged from hate for a race of people. Confederate monuments, like the bas-relief on Stone Mountain, happened when the NAACP was protesting the release of the movie Birth of a Nation and the lynchings that only increased in number. These monuments and confederate flag symbols inspired hate against a race of people. The Jim Crow south used the monuments as a message board to intimidate Blacks in much the same way as a cross burning. It attempted to codify the white power structure over Black people emotionally and politically. It took the murders of nine church members in a prayer meeting in Charleston South Carolina, for people to reconsider the inappropriateness of Confederate memorability on state capitol grounds.

In Newark, Mayor Baraka removed a statue that reminds us of the genocidal hatred that defined the legacy of Cristopher Columbus. Then he replaced the scar with a representation of love for freedom, family and faith. Newark is only the latest to recognize Harriet Tubman as a figure worthy of honoring with a monument. There are at least 15 to 20 full-sized statues across the country of Tubman and a couple internationally from St. Catharine’s, Canada to Kumasi, Ghana. 

And it is no small wonder. As we strive to ignite the importance of character and values in our children, what better exemplar to follow than that of our sister and freedom fighter Harriet. Her legacy lights the path to follow.