On Wednesday, October 16th, “Beacon of Hope”, the 13-foot bronze
statue, created by Academy and Emmy Award-winning sculptor Wesley Wofford of Wofford
Sculpture Studio, arrived in Niagara Falls. The monument is on loan from Wofford Sculpture
Studio and will be on temporary exhibit from October 16th, 2024 to January 2nd, 2025, in the
Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center’s Harriet Tubman Plaza.
The exhibition of the “Beacon of Hope” monument at the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad
Heritage Center commemorates Harriet Tubman’s journeys to freedom through Niagara Falls
via the International Suspension Bridge – originally located mere steps away from the Heritage
Center and the current location of “Beacon of Hope”.
Born Araminta Ross, Tubman first liberated herself in 1849 by way of Philadelphia. Not even a
year later, she would return to Dorchester County, Maryland, to assist many of her family
members in their own escapes. She would eventually repeat this journey a dozen more times.
After the passage of the 1850s Fugitive Slave Act, Tubman knew that for her family to be
completely safe, they would have to make it to Canada. Her goal was St. Catharines, Ontario, by
way of Niagara Falls, New York. The International Suspension Bridge that Tubman crossed,
bringing dozens of people that she loved into freedom and directing many freedom seekers to, is
one of the most important locations on the Underground Railroad.
“Beacon of Hope” traveled to Niagara Falls from John Brown Farm State Historic Site in Lake
Placid, New York. Previously, she was installed and on display in Peekskill, New York – another
important location on the Underground Railroad, and at the National Underground Railroad
Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, among other locations in the North East. In January 2025,
“Beacon of Hope” will depart Niagara Falls and travel to the Woodson African American
Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Together, “Beacon of Hope” and the Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center
commemorate Tubman’s vision, her grit, and her indomitable will that led her to bring so many
people to the promised land. A special evening commemorating Harriet Tubman and the
monument’s display will be held on Friday, November 15th, 2024, at the Heritage Center
from 5pm-8pm, commemorating Tubman’s and other freedom seekers’ journeys in the late
autumn and winter months of November and December.
This monument reflects the interpretation of the Heritage Center’s award winning exhibits and
its commitment to stories of self-agency rooted in freedom, justice and cultural movements. The
Heritage Center is thankful to the artist for sharing his gift with our city and with visitors from
around the world. Visitors can visit “Beacon of Hope” during daytime hours in the Harriet
Tubman Plaza located in front of the Heritage Center, 825 Depot Avenue West, Niagara Falls,
NY 14305.