Statues of iconic Marylanders Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman adorn State House

By Hannah Sabo
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Bronze statues of abolitionists Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass were unveiled Monday night in the Old House of Delegates Chamber of the Maryland State House after a special joint session of the General Assembly.

“It is my hope that when we view these wonderful statues of these incredible heroes and reflect on the countless contributions of these remarkable leaders, it will remind each of us to always stand on the side of goodness and love, and on the side of unity and justice,” said Gov. Larry Hogan.

Hogan, House Speaker Adrienne Jones and Senate President Bill Ferguson unveiled statues of the leaders in the abolitionist movement. Looking on were descendants of Tubman and Douglass.

Douglass and Tubman alike were born into slavery on the Eastern Maryland Shore in the 19^th Century. Since the completion of the old Senate chamber in 2016, a tribute to the abolitionists had been sought. Last January, the Board of Public Works voted to approve a contractor to design and install the two 500-pound statues in the State House, the nation’s oldest working state house.

Hogan noted that February is Black History Month, adding that the statues “are permanently and formally enshrined in the history of our great state.”

The statues are housed in the same room where slavery was finally abolished in Maryland on Nov. 1, 1864. Ellington E. Churchill Jr., Maryland Department of General Services secretary said that artistic property, like the statues, are the property of the state Archives. General Services procured the statue designs and the construction services and managed the project within a year of the Public Works Board approval, Churchill said.

Elaine Rice Bachman, deputy state archivist and secretary of the State House Trust, said the Archives curatorial team made certain the new statues were consistent with that of George Washington. They worked with StudioEIS of Brooklyn, New York to determine Douglass and Tubman’s stances, facial expressions, clothing, and other factors, said Bachman.

Velvenia Minor, who worked as a tour guide at Douglass’ home in Southeast Washington, D.C. until the Parks Department took control of the property in 1962, said she enjoyed the festivities around the statues but wished tour guides would dress in era-appropriate themed clothing. She added that Tubman had been her life-long inspiration, especially as a strong, female leader.

On Tuesday, officials said the Old House of Delegates will be opened to the public for viewing of the new statues. On Saturday, the Maryland Archives will host a free, public event in celebration of the statues.