[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 17802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING HARRIET TUBMAN

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise today in support of S. 227, the 
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman Underground 
Railroad National Historical Park Act. This legislation, which will 
create the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park as a part of the 
National Park System, will preserve one of Upstate New York's most 
important historic sites.
  Harriet Tubman entered American life as a runaway slave from Maryland 
who made history by leading hundreds of slaves to freedom through the 
Underground Railroad. Although her courageous actions before and during 
the Civil War are well known to many Americans, Tubman's dedication to 
bettering the lives of former slaves after the war has been largely 
unrecognized in American History. In 1857, Tubman moved from Canada to 
Auburn, NY, where her close friend and U.S. Senator, William Seward, 
bravely broke the law by selling her a modest, two-story brick house. 
After the Civil War ended in 1865, Harriet Tubman returned to Auburn 
where she continued her humanitarian efforts by aiding aged African 
Americans and eventually opening a group home in 1908. Before her death 
5 years later, the house provided refuge for 12 to 15 people. Harriet 
Tubman was also an active suffragist during the later years of her 
life. Her close proximity to Seneca Falls kept the city of Auburn a 
focal point in the women's rights movement. Harriet Tubman died in 1913 
and is buried in the Fort Hill Cemetery overlooking the city of Auburn.
  Whether it is the American Revolution, the War of 1812, or the 
women's rights movement, Upstate New York has been home to many of our 
Nation's most historic figures. Harriet Tubman's legacy is an important 
part of Upstate New York's history. The Harriet Tubman National 
Historical Park and Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National 
Historical Park Act will establish the Harriet Tubman National 
Historical Park to preserve many significant sites relating to her life 
in Auburn, such as the Tubman Home, the Tubman Home for the Aged, the 
Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church, and her gravesite in the Fort Hill 
Cemetery.
  I am committed to preserving Upstate New York's historic treasures so 
that future generations can learn the lessons of the past by visiting 
the homes of the people who changed American history. Preserving 
Tubman's home, gravesite, and other buildings where she lived her life 
are essential to protecting her legacy. Harriet Tubman's impressive 
life story is an example of how one should fight against injustice and 
work to alleviate the suffering of those around them. Her courageous 
spirit and compassion towards others still makes her a role model 
nearly 100 years after her death. I am proud that Harriet Tubman made 
Upstate New York her home, and I will continue to support the 
preservation of New York's numerous historic sites.

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