The nationally touring Harriet Tubman Beacon of Hope Monument is scheduled to arrive in Peekskill on Wednesday, May, 1, 2024, according to Bill Powers, Executive Director of the Peekskill Business Improvement District.
The statue was created by world-renowned sculptor Wesley Wofford, and is the second nationally touring statue of Tubman that he has created. The previous statue was in residence in Peekskill in 2021 and attracted people from all over the northeast.
The newest monument will be in residence on the corner of Central Avenue and North Division Street (under the large postcard) from May 1 through Peekskill’s Juneteenth Celebration on June 15, 2024, including Memorial Day Weekend and Peekskill’s Open Studio Tours weekend on June 1-2, 2024. The statue is being transported overnight from the National Underground Railroad Museum in Ohio.
“While here, we invite visitors to see the statue and discover what Peekskill has to offer. We have fine dining establishments, nice shops and convenient parking within easy walking distance of the monument,” said Richard Rogers, Peekskill BID Board President.
The amazing statue features Tubman’s golden hand, surrounded by the golden North Star, reaching for freedom, while her other hand holds a golden generational key to inspire viewers to reach within themselves to unlock the inner strength to forge their own destiny.
“We are delighted to host the Beacon of Hope here in Peekskill for nearly two months and we would encourage visitors and residents alike to come view the stunning statue, take photos, and reflect on the meaning of Tubman’s life,” said Powers.
According to Wofford, “While Harriet used the North Star to navigate out of bondage, she then became the compass rose to the thousands of enslaved who followed her guiding light to Freedom. It is our hope that ‘The Beacon of Hope’ is a monument that tells Harriet Tubman’s story, so that all may learn from it; that amplifies her message of equality, so that all may hear it; and that chronicles her journey, with the hope that we all find the inspiration and the courage to walk in her footsteps.”
The monument is over 11 feet tall and weighs 2,500 pounds. Its residency in Peekskill is sponsored by the Peekskill Business Improvement District with in-kind support from the City of Peekskill.
