[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 35 (Tuesday, March 12, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF HARRIET TUBMAN'S DEATH

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                         HON. DANIEL B. MAFFEI

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 12, 2013

  Mr. MAFFEI. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join Auburn and the entire Central 
New York community in commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Harriet 
Tubman's death. Few Americans have fought so courageously for freedom 
and equality as Harriet Tubman. To pay tribute to her life and legacy, 
I introduced the Harriet Tubman National Historical Parks Act. This 
bill establishes two National Historic Parks in her honor: The Harriet 
Tubman National Historical Park in Auburn, NY and the Harriet Tubman 
Underground Railroad National Historical Park on the Eastern Shore of 
Maryland.
   The proposed national park encompasses several of Auburn's important 
historical sites including Harriet Tubman's Home, the Home for the 
Aged, the AME Zion Church, and the cemetery where she is buried. The 
legacy she left in Auburn is one of America's lasting treasures and we 
should honor her as the first African-American woman to have a national 
park established in her honor.
   Establishing this park is not just about our history and the past, 
it is also about the present and our future, particularly our economic 
future. This new park would be a significant piece of an emerging 
tourist region with both historical and natural attractions.
   We must work together to preserve Harriet Tubman's legacy and 
promote Auburn's future. Her story is a lasting lesson that still 
resonates today. Tubman was not someone who accepted the circumstances 
of her time--she fought tirelessly for freedom and progress and that 
legacy is one worth fighting for. There is still work to be done to 
make this idea a reality and like Tubman, we cannot stop now. I am 
committed to working with my colleagues in the House, my counterparts 
in the Senate, and advocates in this community and around the country 
to pass this legislation which is long overdue.

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