The libation i will be performing comes from the okung people in ghana. It is an ancient prayer. Language,ak in the and then i will continue in the language of english. You will hear me say various words. What i am doing is offering up thanks to the creator to all of , the representatives of the creator and our ancestors, especially Harriet Tubman. This a participatory activity. So, we would like for you to join, i would like for you to join with me in this. When you hear me say the word, ensah, i would like for you to respond yah. Ensah. Audience yah. Beautiful. [speaking in ghanian] yah. Yah. Yah. The Divine Energy of the creator, we call on you yah. To our beautiful queen mother, Harriet Tubman, we call on you. Yah. The daughter of a we call you we call on you. Yah. Masterful conductor, we call you. Yah. Divine warrior woman of righteousness, of justice, of freedom, of liberation, of truth, we call you yah. The one who said i could have freed 1000 more if only they knew there were enslaved, we call on you yah. The one who never lost a passenger and never ran her train off the tracks. Yah. To Harriet Tubman, the hero, we call you today. Yah. Harriet tubman, the queen of the north star and mother of the midnight sky, we call you today to come yah. We call you today on the occasion of the grand opening of the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center of erected ina building your honor. We are here in this land called maryland where you once walked, where you once breathe the air that we breathe, where your blood has been. Where your tears once dropped. We come to celebrate as we know that we call your name and call your name, you continue to live. As we step foot on this sacred land, may we be inspired by you. May we be inspired by your work. May we be imbued with your energy. Continue, continue to lead to lead, to lead that train. Yah, we want to thank all who is who are present today and had a hand in making today possible. Yah. Harriet tubman, we honor you today. We honor you tomorrow. We honor you always. We continue to always call your name. [speaking ghanian] [applause] oh freedom oh freedom oh freedom over me i be a slave ill be buried in my grave to my lord and be free no more weeping weeping no more weeping over me id be a slave id be buried in my grave run home to my lord to be free thanks to all the people who came here to see me. [applause] i born right here in Dorchester County in 1820. Or 1822 or 1824. They did not use to keep the records for colored people. I grew up like a neglected weed, ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it. For i was born a slave in this country. To make your flesh, to know what they do to the slaves. From the time i was a wee child, i heard the screaming because of my people being whooped. I have felt of the lash time and again. I have seen families torn apart, sold to the highest bidder. Every time i see the white man, i was afraid of being carried away. When i was standing about this high, i seen my two sisters sold on the chain gang, never to be seen no more. Slavery be hard times. Slavery walked early in the morning, they cant see. Out in the fields all of the day, cant see. Cant see to cant see. For 37 years, ive toiled here. Man nursemaid, a housemate been a nursemaid, ehouse made aid. House mi i done hauled timber in the woods with the loggers. They get to move about a bit and they see things and hear things. When the loggers speak, i open up my ears. You learn more when you open up your ears and not your mouth. I hear loggers about the underground railroad. They said a safe house here. A safe house here. And the people help you on the road to freedom. When i heard that, i picked up, i always had freedom on my mind. The lord in my heart and i prays all the time. I prays. Convert ol master, make him christian. Master bring people to look at me and they say what they would give, what they would take. And i was sold on the chain gang with 2 of my brothers. Take them out the way so they will not do any more mischief. Two or three days past, ol master dead, we for sure bound for the chain gang can now. I runs off with my brother. They feared what master would do. I fixed my eye on the north store when i ran again, on my the north star when i ran again, on my own. I kept moving. I figured this out in my mind. There be one of two things i had a right to liberty or death. If i cannot have the one, id have the other. But no man should take me alive. In the night. Hide in the day, i walked and walked. That blessed day come. I was in philadelphia. Free. I looked at my hands to see do i be the same person now that i am free. Such a glory over everything. Sun comes like gold over the trees and over the field. I am free. There was nobody to welcome me to the land of freedom. All of my people in the slave quarters. Two this to this solemn resolution i come, i free and they would be free. The north, you get money for working. And i gets enough money and i come down here and with the help of the lord, i carried them to freedom. The lord kept sending me back to deliver his people from the land of bondage. The rivers to cross. He never let the water, above my chin. Never let the water come above my chin. Snow, he never let me get the frost night the frostbite. Master lying in wait, bounty for dead or alive. Dogs hoping to smell you. The lord would hide me by day and lead me in the night. And when we were with rate he sent the underground railroad, when we would pause, weary, he sent the underground railroad, black people and white people were helping. Just so long as he hoped to use me he take care of me. , and i hold steady on to him. Slavery be near to hell. Slavery picked the north against the south in the great civil war. They said the civil war is a white mans war, colored man not fit for the service. He would run scared at the first sound of enemies fire. Did he run scared at the battle of pittsburgh . Did he run scared and new Market Heights . Did he run scared at fort hudson . Nashville . Tupelo . Did he run scared on the river with me . Did he run scared at fort wagner . Hmm. I remember charleston harbor. Oh, fort wagner done been bombarded for days. He believed that the confederate defense on the island had been beaten down enough on a full frontal attack. But, he was wrong. Hmm. I was there as a nurse and a cook. I served the colonel his last meal on the 18th day of july in 1863. Colonel led the colored infantry. Didnt we see the lightning . That was the guns. Didnt we see thunder . That would have been guns. Didnt we have rainfall in . That is what drops the blood. Thats was drops of blood falling. Colonel and all of them colored soldiers of the 54th fighting dying for freedom. Father, we stretch the hands to thee and thank you for our colored troops. We could not answer when their names be called. I freed some, but the colored troops freed us all. We were not set free. We freed ourselves. The United States colored troop turned our face from the north star to the morningstar. To the morning sun. Victorious. Huzzah i thank you colored troops. Cuz of you i wake of free every morning. Free to come on down here on the Eastern Shore were many years ago when they enslaved to me and all of my people. Free to walk about now as i please on my own time. Guess what i think i will do now . It has been a long time since i have been here on the Eastern Shore. I wants to see what they have done to my homeland. But i come back to you if i please. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, b company of the massachusetts volunteer infantry presenting the colors. 1, 2. Aboutface. March. Go one way or the other. Squad halts. Rush holt halt. Present arms. Oh, say can you see, by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed, at the twilights last gleaming . Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, oer the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night, that our flag was still there. Oh say does that star spangled banner yet wave, oer the land of the free, and the home of the brave. [applause] lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmonies of liberty; let our rejoicing rise high as the listning skies, let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us, sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us; facing the rising sun of our new day begun, let us march on till victory is won. God of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who hast brought us thus far on the way; [indiscernible] god of our weary years, god of our silent tears, thou who hast brought us thus far on the way; thou who hast by thy might, led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our god, where we met thee, lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forget thee; shadowed beneath thy hand, may we forever stand, true to our god, true to our native land. Amen [applause] right face. Forward march. Left march. Good job. Thank you, guys. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we would like to invite our speakers and guests treasurer nancy cupp and mr. Franco to the stage. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable larry hogan, governor of the state of maryland. [applause] Governor Hogan thank you. Thank you very much. Good afternoon. First of all, how about that mbs mes choir and the reenactment, millicent sparks who played Harriet Tubman . She brought tears to my eyes. Give them all a big round of applause and the color guard. It is great to be back on the Eastern Shore. It is a great day to be here with all of you on this exciting day for Dorchester County and the state of maryland. In february, we were proud to celebrate black History Month in maryland. This month, in march, we are recognizing womens History Month, women like that. Come on. It is so fitting because today, we are celebrating Harriet Tubman day. [applause] Governor Hogan the timing could not be better to celebrate the opening of our Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center. [applause] with this facility, long after all of us are gone, new generations will come here to learn about and to honor one of our most truly incredible maryland heroes. Harriet tubmans contributions to our state and nation transcend race or gender or nationality and religion, and fortunately today we live in a country where for all of us, freedom is a birthright. It is the foundation of everything that we stand for and believe in as marylanders and americans. That was not true when Harriet Tubman was born here in Dorchester County nearly 200 years ago. However, back then, even back then when freedom was denied, unbelievable acts of heroism, courage and sacrifice emerge. Harriet tubman earned the names moses and general tubman. After making our own escape, she making her own escape, she became the most famous conductor of the underground railroad which she utilized to free hundreds and hundreds of slaves and bring them to their freedom. She also worked as a scout and a cook and a spy and a nurse for the union during the civil war. After the war was over, she continued to dedicate the entire rest of her life in a Selfless Service to others and the cause of freedom. As a state and as a nation, we have come a long way since the days Harriet Tubman walked these very lands. Here in maryland, we will never forget that we owe much of that progress to trailblazers like Harriet Tubman who paved the way for so many others. We are proud to have a statue honoring and memorializing Harriet Tubman in the Governors Mansion and there are plans to erect a new statue in her honor on the grounds of our historic statehouse in annapolis. [applause] Governor Hogan i am pleased to announce our administration is committing the funding to make sure this important project is completed. [applause] Governor Hogan and today as we celebrate this new part of new park and Visitor Center, i want to thank our federal, state and local partners who helped make this project a reality including the national , park service, Maryland Park service, office of tourism, Dorchester County as well as our state agencies including the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, department of commerce and department of general services. [applause] i also want to thank senator cardin for his leadership to make this a reality. [applause] Governor Hogan and finally, and most importantly, i want to take a moment to thank and to recognize all of Harriet Tubmans descendants who have joined us this afternoon for being a part of the park dedication and this much a much deserved tribute today. Thank you all. [applause] Governor Hogan thank you all for helping us to honor the great legacy of this incredible marylander and a true american icon, Harriet Tubman. Thank you and god bless you all. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable benjamin l. Cardin, u. S. Senator for maryland. Sen. Cardin this is truly a great today for our country and a great day for this region. The 104th anniversary of the death of Harriet Tubman, she died at 93 or 92 or 91, we are not exactly sure. But around that age. And we celebrate her life today. Governor hogan, thank you for your leadership. We opened today the harriet , Tubman Underground RailroadVisitor Center through cooperation between the National Park service and the Maryland Park service through the , generosity of the state of maryland and we thank you for your leadership in making this a reality for the people of maryland and our country. [applause] senator cardin we know the story of Harriet Tubman that has been told today in such an effective way. Her life was motivated by seeking freedom and she did it with such courage to save others. There is no greater call than that. She did it that as conductor of she did that as conductor of the underground railroad. She did that on behalf of the union forces. She did that for so many different causes her entire life. She fought for womens suffrage when it was a challenge to stand up for womens rights. She fought for the elderly when there was very little advocacy to help older people in the later years of their life. She devoted her life to helping others enjoy freedom at an incredibly effective way. [applause] senator cardin she lived the mission that dr. Martin luther king jr. Said in each of us is here for mission to make a difference, Harriet Tubman made an incredible impact on our entire values and community. Yes, she is known as the moses of her people. I remember a few years back as a at a passover i had in our house, where we were recalling the story of how moses led the jewish people out of slavery from egypt, one of my young relatives said, you mean moses was like Harriet Tubman . [laughter] [applause] senator cardin she is an inspiration and this Visitor Center will be so important for telling that story. It will bring a lot of people here. It will help the economy. I know the local officials will appreciate the fact we are going to be really helping the economy. Dorchester county, thank you for your help. Mayor jackson stanley, thank you for all you have done for cambridge. [applause] senator cardin Governor Hogan is right, we really do thank the Harriet Tubman family, the ross family. You have been persistent in making this a reality. [applause] i just want to spend a moment and thank our federal delegation, my partners in washington. It started with paul sorbets who led the campaign for the designation of the Harriet Tubman underground railroad National Historic park. We started with that of years that many years ago. When i was elected to the senate, i took on the charge and filed the legislation with my colleagues from the more it. From new york. Senator mikulski was incredible help of getting it done. She sends her regards today. Chris van hollen has been very helpful. I want people to know we had issues with landowners who wanted to get this done and we played a Critical Role and make sure this reach the finish line. Reached the finish line. It was a team effort on behalf of our entire congressional delegation. We are very proud of the fact that Harriet Tubman, the first African American woman to be so honored with a designation of a National Historic park. We got it done thanks to all of your help. [applause] senator cardin to all of you, congratulations. This is a great day for the state of maryland. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the superintendent for Maryland Park services, nita settina. [applause] good afternoon. On behalf of the park service and my colleagues, it is my honor to join in welcoming you to this grand opening of the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center. To my state park rangers and staff, to all of our Partner Agencies that helped prepare for this day, i salute you on a job well done. [applause] you represent the pinnacle of public service. At 17 acres, this park may be one of the smallest in our system, but just like Harriet Tubman, it will largest in the hearts and minds of many around the world. This project has been part of my life for the past eight years. The collective vision that brought us here today has been shaped over decades by the family of tubman herself, by esteemed historians gifted , architects, engineers and artists. It has been humbling to know you work with you to know you and work with you this many years. As you have heard the vision for this part is to tell the story of Harriet Tubmans courageous life, but it is also to tell the story of who she was as a human being. To share her faith, love of family, joys, her heart aches things we can all relate to. , and a sometimes, it is the and sometimes it is the , smallest things that help us connect like knowing that Harriet Tubman favorite cake was strawberry. She drank her tea with the butter. Yes. Can you guess what we are serving today . I will say the butter is optional but some of us tried it and it actually tastes great. The value of what we have accomplished together has its greatest meaning for me, personally. When i reflect on the importance of this place and landscape and of story to young people like tyona coleman and arianna brown. We were matched through big brothers and big sisters in 2008 and it is one of the best things that has ever happened to me in my life. Tyona and arianna toward the byway last year, we had so much fun. These 2 15yearold girls just like most teenagers are not easily impressed. They connected with tubman and her story. We talked about what it means to be a freedom fighter. To stand up against oppression and injustice. And to make serving others a core purpose of your life. It was through watching them that it became very real to me, the opportunity that this park represents for all of us. Thank you again for being here and your blessings and encouragement and involvement and belief in and this park and the legacy of Harriet Tubman. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable richard c. Travers. President of the Dorchester County council. [applause] richard wow, what a day. I dont know how you could not have been touched by that choir. [applause] earlier today. Those awesome songs that brought back memories and i know as strong of a faith in god that Harriet Tubman had she is , shining down on us today with them singing that and speaking the praises to god. I am honored to be here today on this momentous occasion to celebrate the grand opening of the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center. On behalf of the Dorchester County council, i want to thank the partners who have worked many hours to make this dream come true. We also needed to remember a couple of them who passed away during this process and not able to be here today with us. One of them is ms. Evelyn townsend. [applause] she played a significant role in the development of the downtown area museum. And the next one, mr. John creighton. [applause] richard mr. Creighton left us way too soon. He played an instrumental part in the national, state and local initiatives of documenting the life stories of Harriet Tubman. Words cannot describe how important this Visitor Center is , not just to Dorchester County, not just to the Eastern Shore but the state of maryland also , and of the nation. [applause] richard this will allow us an opportunity to showcase how proud we are to be the birthplace and the home to one of americas greatest heroes, Harriet Tubman. We all know we are blessed to live on the Eastern Shore of maryland and is landscape that is so symbolic of her life and legacy. To think she toiled in the lands, she trapped muskrats, she d with herlogge father, she worked in these fields right here. The very land that you can immerse yourself into today. Tubman had a very strong faith in god. She lived through many trials and tribulations in life and harriet was able to show many people the way to freedom and inspire many more to go on their own. She had no special training other than the godgiven talent that she had to help others. Even now, 160 years later, this woman is still inspiring people today. [applause] richard just a look around and see how many people here today are here today for a special invite, the back is flooded with people with no place to sit. She touched these people in one way or another. Wait until tomorrow when the public can walk in here and lets see what is going to happen. And you know the weather, were all concerned. We wouldve liked to have a have one of those spring days. Harriet did not have it easy so we are not going to have it easy either. [applause] richard so, come, walk in her footsteps. They called her the moses of her people. Even today, as short as three weeks ago, i read an article in a national magazine, in fact, my wife read it. It was a christian magazine, the guidepost. There was an article about 2 young africanamerican women struggling with things going on in their life. They googled strong women. In this lady said the name of Harriet Tubman kept coming up. So she got in her car on one saturday and she drove to bucktown, maryland. That is what the article said. I am quoting. And she stood at the bucktown store. And she was just amazed and ladies and gentlemen, please welcome state senator, the honorable adelaide eckert. [applause] thank you and good afternoon, everyone. Governor, good to see you. Thank you so much. Lieutenant governor, senator cardin, thank you for your good work and to our comptroller and treasurer. They handled the money piece of this project. Councilman travers, how inspiring. Mayor stanley, mr. Secretary, on behalf of the dorchester delegation who is with us, we had a lot of voting sessions, this morning and i just want to say thank you to the park service at the national level, to our department of Natural Resources and all that they do. Thank you, thank you. As you have heard about the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman today, there is one aspect we have not heard about. It is one of the reasons why harriet has been of one of my alltime heroes. Many of you may not know that but when i was asked my name for one of marylands 100 women a while ago, harriet was the person i chose because as a nurse working in psychiatric work right here in Dorchester County, we put harriet on a stamp and the nurses association, the American Nurses association across this country honored harriet that year. I remember working in a small think tank group with John Creighton and Evelyn Townsend and Linda Wheatley and many, many others and we were able to share that story and build that common bond to begin the work that is taking so long to celebrate the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman. And not only to do that, but to capture the vision she had to bring people together, to be able to really understand our history, to share in that history. It is a dark history. But it is something we all have to deal with because it impacts each and every one of us. And here in Dorchester County, we want to uphold a new vision. A new vision that was the essence of Harriet Tubman. She believed we needed to build on our strength. And our relationships. Think about that. As we do an underground railroad and able to think about freeing the people, moving people, feeding people, taking care of people, introducing to one another, how do you do that . You do that by building relationships and finding out what each person has to offer regardless of what they look like. And you build the bridge. And you build railroads. And you make progress. We celebrate that today and as the state and local and federal level and communities have come together to put together this some 22 million facility that will celebrate all of what we want to share both good and bad about our past, about where we are and about how we will change that going forward. Because if we do not change and change that going forward, we are bound to fall in to what was in the past. We believe, i believe, as harriet did, there is an opportunity for all of us with our faith and our lord and by building on our strengths, we will move forward. The bible tells us, if there is no vision, the people will perish. We have a vision here. I stand here today not on behalf of myself, and the senate of maryland although im honored to , be able to do that, but i stand here today representing each and every one of you in this room and many people who wanted to be here today who are not able to be here. This is the peoples facility. The tax dollars that put this together to make this a reality today came from everybody in this room. This is everybodys facility. We will move forward. We will hold a new vision. We will have a new conversation. We will not let what has happened in the past hold us back. We are on the move in Dorchester County, it was a wonderful history here. It will be a wonderful history to celebrate again and again and again. We will honor develop the 20 bill. It is coming. We would like to do it here because this is where it needs to happen. For everybody here, enjoy this facility. Enjoy our county. And remember we have vision, we will move forward, there is work to do, go do it. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome National Parks services northeast Regional Deputy regional director rose finell. [applause] i dont Carry Business cards. It is too much to put on a there. I am rose because my mom and dad are here, we go by rosalyn. Thank you, mom. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, mom and dad, from the very beginning of the National Park service in 1916, Public Private partnerships have played a Critical Role in memorable visitors. Like the ones we are celebrate today is a practice for telling amazing stories. Today is a culmination of the hard work and commitment of so many partners including the state of maryland, engaged citizens, supporters in dorchester and caroline counties, the city of cambridge and many others. I want to recognize the u. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and managers and staff of blackwater wildlife refuge. The refuge is more than 3000 0 acres surrounding the Visitor Center preserving the important landscape that reflects the life and times of Harriet Tubman. Today as we celebrate the opening of the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center, this beautiful state of the art Visitor Center take its place as one of the premier Visitor Experiences in the National ParkServices National underground Railroad Network to freedom. There are so many places [applause] where inspiring people and their source connect with our hearts and mind. One of the many new additions to the park service as of this past january is the Harriet Tubman historical park in new york. [applause] this is a sister part of the focus is on top of men tubman later life. Staff from some of the other National Parks are here working hard to make this a more memorable safe environment and we thank you. The courthouse, National Historical park in virginia has an extra special role today. They were instrumental in making sure ora mccloy had an opportunity to celebrate with us today. Ms. Mccoy is the greatgranddaughter of daniel and phoebe scruggs, who were enslaved and later free because of the american civil war. After the war, mr. Scruggs escrow attained this bell next to me and mrs. Mccoy is now the owner of the bell. Thank you. [applause] the fascinating thing about our shared history is it is really about all of us. The intertwined narratives shared to us in parks, state parks, local parks are in inspiration. I want to take a moment to share my own story about my connection to the magic of this landscape. I first came here as part of a team of lobbyists from the conservation working on the establishment of the Harriet Tubman park in 2000 per the team came here on a familiarization tour. We arrived pretty late in the day on a school bus and a school bus parked not very far from here at all. Actually, i think close to the spot. We had a guy who shared with us what he knew of the story of Harriet Tubmans life in dorchester, her labors in the field and the confrontations that led to the life altering blow to her skull at the Bucktown Village store. As the guy spoke, darkness continue till fall until we were in a sea of black. Our guide set of the stage for us to imagine we were enslaved africans living on a farm in Dorchester County and we resolved tonight would be the night to make our escape. We had one question we needed to answer do you stay or do you go . I looked out into the darkness, the waters of Dorchester County, the blackness of the night sky that would guide me to freedom, i thought about the dogs and torches and torture that awaited if i were caught, and i thought about freedom and i thought about emancipation and all of that meant. In the end, i made a decision to stay. [laughter] i decided to stay. For the next several weeks and days, i was haunted by that experience. I made a choice to stay. At that time, those weeks later, i made a promise to myself that i would never again make a decision based on fear. [applause] rose and so i stand before you, and African American woman with dreadlocks and a National Park uniform [cheering] rose each time i come to one of those decision points where i have to decide what is going to happen next, i ask myself just the one question what would harriet do . [applause] rose and i do that. What ever it is she would do, i would do that. That is how i got here. I thank you for your time today and i celebrate with you this dedication to an incredible american icon. I agree. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable boyd rutherford, Lieutenant Governor of the state of maryland. [applause] good afternoon. I dont know how to follow that, but i will say, it is always great to be on the Eastern Shore and particularly here in Dorchester County. I enjoy it every time i come and particularly on this day, Harriet Tubman day as we remember her remarkable work of an incredible woman and the journey that she led so many on. Madam mayor, i want to remind you of that print i received on pine street a couple of weeks ago, it is painting in my office a print of Harriet Tubman. It sits kind of on an angle to thomas jefferson, who want to use of that office once used that office. An interloper who was using marylands capital during the temporary home of continental congress. On the far side of the wall is another marylander, frederick douglas. I want to make sure he is surrounded by some folks and reminded of our history. And roseland, thank you. A very moving testament. I say rosalyn because your parents are here. I want to point out my mother is here. [applause] i wanted to point out it is take your parent to work today. [laughter] also, i also want to recognize the family of Harriet Tubman, her family from both here in maryland and new york who have joined us today and thank you very much for being here. [applause] Lieutenant Governor rutherford thank you for everything you have done to keep her store alive and we are incredibly pleased to be part of those efforts. Harriet tubmans journey began with a handful of people hiding and risking their lives with the faint chance of freedom. It brings us to this state, a National Celebration for the opening of this park and Visitors Center to commemorate her life, legacy and struggle. I am incredibly proud to service marylands Lieutenant Governor and it means so much to me to have this opportunity to share this momentous occasion. Hopefully, every school kid learns of the story of Harriet Tubman and especially here in maryland that they learn about her. Nevertheless, with this park, those kids will now be able to experience that story in ways they have never been able to before. Harriet tubmans story began right here on this land as a slave. When she made her escape and guided others on a perilous journey of what is now the world renowned underground railroad, she relied on a keen sense of the land, nature skills to finally make her way to freedom. Hers is a story for the ages and a story of overcoming tremendous adversity. A story of selflessness and sacrifice and reaching incredible heights. Her life is reminder that if we have the courage, the strength and the will, were capable of doing anything. I want to thank all of the Community Partners who helped shape this piece of living history, including the architects, gwwo inc, color ads, haileys sharp designs. We hope all marylanders and all americans will come here and help us celebrate this important monument in the history of our state and our nation. And in of the march towards human freedom, here future generations will have the chance to traverse the Harriet Tubman underground railroad by way and the sights and sounds through marylands wonderful easter short. After this time, i invite everyone to move, i believe we move outside no, we stay here that is right, it is cold outside. It is always wonderful here on the Eastern Shore. [applause] i invite everybody to help us officially open the park. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, at this time, id like to introduce mrs. Mccoy and ask her to come with the bell. At of the same time, id like to invite everyone to look into your bag and remove your bell from your bag. Ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please stand, please stand and raise your bell high in the air in celebration. [bells tolling and chiming] [applause] i have to come back in here to tell you what a sight i have seen out there. My heart is so full i cannot take it all in. Right there in my homeland, what held me in bondage, now they wants to welcome me. They wants to pay homage to me, Harriet Tubman. The lord has been so good to me. I member on the 10th day of march in the year 1913, when i was taking my last breath on this earth, i say to all the ones gathered around my bed, i go away to make a place for you. And where i am, ye may be also. But when i go out here and see what i see on the same day, the 10th day of march, i see that you have prepared a place for me. [applause] that is where you are, i may be also. [applause] and i want especially you to come on and see it. Moses guide you there. Get up. I still carry. [laughter] [applause] they know i have not ever lost a passenger. Come on, ill carry you there. Ill carry you there. Let my people go you are watching American History tv, 48 hours on American History every weekend on cspan3. Follow us on twitter for information on our schedule and to keep up with thees