 
Assembly Resolution No. 179
 
BY: M. of A. Meeks
 
        RECOGNIZING  Monday,  March  10,  2025, as Harriet
        Tubman Day
 
  WHEREAS, Harriet Ross Tubman was an American heroine and patriot who
faithfully served her country and liberated  her  people;  her  tireless
efforts  to attain freedom for those enslaved and her dedication to stop
the inhuman practice of slavery should be recognized and celebrated;  it
is  only  fitting  to  pay tribute to an American heroine who sacrificed
everything for the well-being of her people and country; and
 
  WHEREAS, In June of 2003, legislation to make March 10th  a  Day  of
Commemoration  was  signed  into law; March 10th recognizes the lifetime
achievements and the historical legacy established by Harriet Tubman and
her many accomplishments throughout the State of New York; and
 
  WHEREAS, Harriet Ross Tubman, the great American  abolitionist,  was
born  on a plantation in Dorchester County, Maryland, circa 1820; as was
the case of many slaves, she was put to work as a field hand at an early
age; and
 
  WHEREAS, Because of her color and her status  as  a  slave,  Harriet
Tubman   was   denied  the  opportunity  to  learn  to  read  or  write;
nevertheless, she was able to rise  above  the  limitations  which  were
placed on her as a slave and as a Black woman; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  1849, Harriet Tubman escaped to the northern region of
the United States and settled in Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania;  while  in
Philadelphia,  she  met William Still, the Philadelphia Stationmaster of
the "Underground Railroad"; and
 
  WHEREAS, William Still and  the  Philadelphia  Anti-Slavery  Society
(PAS)   introduced   Harriet  Tubman  to  the  inner  workshops  of  the
Underground Railroad; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Underground Railroad was a network of  individuals  and
families who offered assistance, food, or shelter to slaves during their
escape  to the North; one year after her escape, Harriet Tubman became a
conductor (a guide who led escaped slaves to freedom) of the Underground
Railroad; and
 
  WHEREAS, In 1851, Harriet Tubman relocated members of her family  to
North  Street  in  the  City  of  St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, which
eventually became her headquarters for the Underground Railroad; in  the
ensuing years, she became one of the most influential conductors; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  the mid-1850s, Harriet Tubman made the acquaintance of
United States Senator, Secretary of State, and former New York Governor,
William H. Seward, and his wife, Frances, in Auburn, New York; in  1857,
the  Sewards  provided  a  home  for her in Auburn which was sold to her
later; and
 
  WHEREAS, This home would become the new base of operations  for  the
Underground  Railroad; when the Civil War began, Harriet Tubman was able
 
to liberate hundreds of her people to  freedom  through  this  efficient
network;  she  was  proud  to claim that she never ran her train off the
track and never lost a passenger; and
 
  WHEREAS,  During  the  Civil War, Harriet Tubman served in the Union
Army in South Carolina, first as a cook and nurse, and later, as a scout
for raiding parties and  a  spy  behind  Confederate  lines;  after  her
service  to  the Union Army, she returned to Auburn, New York, where she
lived the  remaining  years  of  her  life;  in  1903,  she  transferred
ownership of her property to the A.M.E. Zion Church; and
 
  WHEREAS,  After Harriet Tubman's death on March 10, 1913, the church
developed and managed her home and adjacent property in order to sustain
her memory; she was buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in  Auburn,  New  York,
with  full  military  honors;  currently,  the  Harriet  Tubman home and
property are registered as National Historic Landmarks  in  Auburn,  and
the site is also part of the National Park Service Freedom Trail; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Harriet  Tubman was many things to many people, but to the
Black slaves, she was considered to be the "Black Moses"  who  delivered
the buried promise of freedom to them; through her actions and life, she
embodied  the  true essence of service, spirit, and strength; because of
her spirit, strength, and conviction, countless slaves were given  hope;
she  was  compelled  to  risk  her  own  freedom  so  that  others could
experience freedom; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park is  located  in
Auburn,  New  York;  it consists of a group of properties, including the
Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, the Harriet Tubman residence, and  the
Thompson Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and parsonage; and
 
  WHEREAS,  With  the  establishment of this Day of Commemoration, the
rich historical legacy and  life  achievements  of  Harriet  Tubman  are
recognized  and  celebrated  in  the  State  of  New York annually; now,
therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its  deliberations  to
recognize Monday, March 10, 2025, as Harriet Tubman Day.
Recognizing Monday, March 10, 2025, as Harriet Tubman Day

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