Harriet Tubman monument unveiled in New Jersey

Newark, New Jersey — A soaring 25-foot monument honoring abolitionist Harriet Tubman was unveiled Thursday.

The unveiling, in a square that bears her name, marked the culmination of a two-year project inspired by the iconic image of Tubman standing humble, yet proud. The monument replaces the controversial Christopher Columbus statue which was removed in June 2020.

The monument, called “Shadow of a Face,” also includes an audio installation of Tubman’s life narrated by singer and actor Queen Latifah, who was born in Newark.

“I hope they take away renewed strength, inspiration, humanity, compassion,” Latifah told CBS News of the monument. “What Harriet Tubman did was about freedom, was about compassion for those who did not have it.

Tubman escaped slavery and risked her freedom to lead about 70 enslaved people through the Underground Railroad, a network of safehouses which led north, and included a Newark church, with hidden tunnels. 

At the site, visitors will also learn that Tubman was a spy in the Union Army, as well as an advocate for women’s rights and the elderly.

Monument designer Nina Cooke John said she intentionally placed a mosaic of Tubman’s face at eye level.

“You can look into her eyes and touch her face and connect to her, to her humanity,” Cooke John told CBS News. “It could be your mother, your aunt, your grandmother, and in so doing, be that much more inspired by her.”