My honor to open this occasion with a libation. This comes from the people of ghana, west africa. It is an ancient form of prayer. I will continue in the language of english. You will hear me say various words. What i am doing is offering up theks to the creator, to energy of the creator, and to our ancestors, especially Harriet Tubman. This is a is maturing activity. So we would like for you to join i would like for you to join me in this. So when you hear me say this will, i would like you to respond. Beautiful. Dr. Adwoa tano [speaking foreign language] [speaking foreign language] dr. Adwoa tano host ya. [speakingtano foreign language] to the oldie mighty Divine Energy of the greater, we call on you. Tubman,other, harriet we call participation from you. He daughter, we call you to come and drink. Daughter Harriet Tubman, masterful perception, we call you to come and drink. Harriet tubman, divine warrior woman, of justice, of freedom, of liberation, of sovereignty, of truth, we call you to come and drink. Said if only i knew we were not slaves we call you to come and drink. The one who never walks a passenger and never slams her train on its tracks. We call Harriet Tubman to come and drink. Hero of thean, the mississippi, we call you to come and drink. E queen of the, th north star, the mother of the night sky, we call you today to come and drink. Daughter Harriet Tubman, we call you today on the occasion of the grand opening of the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor Center, a building erected in your honor. Daughter, we are here in this land called to maryland, where you once were, where you once briefed the air that we breathe, where your blood has shed, where your tears once dropped. We celebrate and honor you as we know that we call your name, and calling 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 works. May we infuse your energy, continue to lead, to lead that train. All who arehank present and had a hand in making today possible. Harriet tubman, we honor you today, we honor you tomorrow, we honor you always. We continue to always call your name. [speaking foreign language] [applause] [singing] no more weeping no more weeping over me went home to my lord and be free i thank all of the people that have come here to see me. [applause] i will be heard, too. Dont discount it. 1822, 1824. They didnt keep records on people more than you would on colored people more than you would a cattle or colt. I grew up ignorant, having no experience. I was born a slave in this country. Creepld make your flesh to know what they do to the slaves. Child,e time i was a wee i heard people and crying, my people have been whooped. Torn apart, family sold to the highest bidder. Every time i see the white man, i was to be carried away. When i was about this high, i s aw my two sisters sold on the chain gang, never to be seen no more. Slaves went through bad times. Rise early in the morning until dark, where they can see. All the way until dark, cant see. 30 some years ive toiled in the swamp, in the fields, i hauled timber in the woods with the loggers. Loggers are slaves, but they get to move abound a bit. When the loggers speak in my ear, i listen. You learn more when you open up your head rather than open up your mouth. [applause] they spoke about the underground railroad. They said there was a safe house here. And the people will help you on the road to freedom. That, i picked it up here, because i always had freedom on my mind. I pray all the time. Chained him, made him christian. All the while, they would say look at me, and they stood there. This is what they would take, like newsprint. I was to be sold on the chain gang with two of my brothers. Taken out so he wont do anymore questions. Days later i heard the master was dead. We were for sure down for a chain gang now. I ran off with my brothers, but they turned us back. Fixed on my eye in the north ,tar when iran again on my own and i kept moving. I figured in my mind it would be one of two things i had the right to liberty or death. Other for nove the man should take me alive. So i would hide in the day. And i walked it. I was in philadelphia. Free. I looked at my hands to see do i be the same person now that i am free. There comes 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. The solemn resolution i come, i free and they would be free. I work in the north, and you know that in the north, you get money for working. And i get 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. We would come on these rivers to cross. He never let the water come above my chin. In sleet and snow, he never led to me get to for tonight. Frostbite. Master lying in wait, bounty for dead or alive. Dogs hopping and tracking, hoping to smell you. The lord would hide me by day and lead me in the night. And when we were weary, he sent the underground railroad, black people and white people were helping. Sparing us on the way. Just so long as he wants to use me, he takes care of me. And i hold steady on to him. Slavery be near a can akin 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 at new Market Heights . At the bottle of nashville . Tupelo . Did he run scared on the river with me . Did he run scared at fort wagner . Hmm. I remember outside charleston harbor. Quincy been bombarded for days. He believed that the confederate defense on the island had been beaten down enough for a frontal attack. But, he was wrong. Hmm. I was there as a nurse and a cook. I served colonel shaw his last meal early in the morning at dawn, on the 18th day of july in 1863. The colonel led the 54th massachusetts 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. The 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, lord, 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 morning sun. Victorious. Huzzah i thank you colored troops. Because 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. That is what i think i will do now. It has been a long time since i have been here on the Eastern Shore. I want to see what they have done to my homeland. But i come back to you by and by, if i please. [applause] [chatter] 1, 2. Ladies and gentlemen, the company of the massachusetts volunteer infantry regiment presenting the colors. Right, 1, 2. Left. March. Front. 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, for the land of the free, and the home of the brave. [applause] let our rejoicing rise high as the listning skies, 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; 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] [applause] [cheering] ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, at at this time, we would like to invite our speakers and guest treasurer nancy cupp and comptroller to the stage. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the honorable larry hogan, governor of the state of maryland. [applause] gov. Hogan thank you. Thank you very much. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. First of all, how about that m. E. S. Choir and the reenactment, millicent sparks who played Harriet Tubman . She brought tears to my eyes. She was incredible. Give them all a big round of applause and the color guard. Just wonderful. It is great to be back on the Eastern Shore. 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 which is the women like that. Come on. [applause] hogan today it is so fitting, because we are celebrating Harriet Tubman day. [applause] gov. Hogan the timing could not be better to celebrate the opening of our Harriet Tubman underground railroad state and Visitors Center. [applause] hogan with this facility, long after we are gone, new generations can come 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 general tubman. After 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. But here in maryland, we will never forget 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 mentioned, mansion, and there are plans to erect a new statue in her honor on the grounds of our historic statehouse in annapolis. [applause] gov. Hogan i am pleased to announce our administration is committing the funding to make sure this important project is completed. [applause] gov. Hogan and today as we celebrate this new park and Visitors 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] gov. Hogan i also want to thank senator cardin for his leadership in washington to make this a reality. [applause] gov. Hogan and finally, and most importantly, i want to take a moment to thank and to recognize all of Harriet Tubmans descendents who have joined us this afternoon for being a part of the park dedication and this muchdeserved tribute today. Thank you all. [applause] gov. 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. [applause] 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. [laughter] sen. Cardin but around that age. And we celebrate her life today. Governor hogan, thank you for your leadership. We opened today in the Harriet Tubman underground Railroad Visitor 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] sen. Cardin we know the story of Harriet Tubman that has been told today in such an incredibly effective way. Her life was motivated by 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 the underground railroad. She did that on behalf of the union forces. She did that 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 is 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] sen. Cardin she lived the mission that dr. Martin luther king jr. Said in each of us is here for a 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 passover i had in our house were 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] sen. 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 particularly 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 everything you have done for cambridge. [applause] sen. 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] sen. Cardin i just want to spend a moment and thank our federal delegation, my partners in washington. It started with paul sarbanes, who led the campaign for the designation of the Harriet Tubman underground railroad National Historic park. We started that many years ago. When i was elected to the senate, i took on the charge and filed the legislation with my colleagues from new york. Senator mikulski was incredible help of getting it done. She sends her regards today. Chris van hollen has been 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. 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] sen. Cardin so to all of you, congratulations, this is a great today for the state of maryland. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the superintendent for Maryland Park services, nita settina. [applause] nina 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] nita you represent the pinnacle of public service. At 17 acres, this part may be one of the smallest in our system. But just like Harriet Tubman, it will loom 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