Harriet: A Taste of Freedom — A Luminous Tribute in Cambridge

BALTIMORE—A radiant new tribute to Harriet Tubman has transformed the Harriet Tubman Freedom Center in Cambridge, Maryland—just miles from where she once made her daring escapes to freedom—located at 3030 Center Dr, Cambridge, MD 21613. Titled “Harriet: A Taste of Freedom,” the exhibition will be on display through September 30, 2025 and celebrates the life and legacy of one of America’s greatest liberators with breathtaking creativity.

The pop-up showcase is the largest Tubman-focused art exhibition ever curated on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Conceived by Baltimore artist Larry Poncho Brown, the show brings together over 80 works from more than 40 artists who responded to Brown’s open call to simply “be creative.” Nearly all pieces are available for purchase, making it not only a powerful tribute but also a platform for Black artists to share and sell their work.

Tubman’s legacy—once etched in whispers and worn paths—is reborn here in color, texture, and form. Her likeness appears across various media: stitched lovingly into pictorial quilts, digitally rendered in Kente cloth that evokes West African regality, or painted in towering canvases of vibrant hues or stark monochrome. Even when her image isn’t present, her spirit surges through abstract compositions, invoking freedom.

Brown contributed five works himself and collaborated with Alex and Lisa Green to transform a former church into the Freedom Center—now a multifunctional venue that hosts lectures, exhibitions, and community events. The Greens also operate Harriet Tubman Tours from the site, committed to making the Center a permanent fixture for artistic and cultural celebration.

Opening night drew hundreds, setting the tone for the emotional resonance of the show. Artist James Murphy Jr. described the experience as a joy: “It has been truly a joy to use the voice of my art to express my interpretation of the one whom we’ve come to know as the ‘Black Moses.’”

The exhibition features striking voices, such as Karen Y. Buster, whose bold black-and-white images sold during the opening, and Veronica Mays, whose quilt was quickly claimed. Mays shared, “It is an honor to create art quilts that reflect the life of our dear pioneer, shero, and all-around queen—Harriet Tubman.”

Producer Aaron Rice added a digital layer by capturing interviews and reactions, expanding the reach of Tubman’s story through video. The result is an intimate archive of visual and emotional storytelling.

Though Tubman is already honored throughout Dorchester County—from the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Visitor Center in Church Creek to the mural “Take My Hand” in downtown Cambridge—the Freedom Center fills a vital gap. Previous museums were limited by space and infrastructure, with flooding forcing temporary closures. This new venue offers an expansive stage for robust programming and community connection.

Brown emphasized the timeliness of this tribute: “I’ve been tirelessly sitting on the sidelines awaiting her image to show up on the 20-dollar bill, but she’s steadily become mythical and folkloric. Let’s elevate her image even further.”

The show also serves as a reminder of environmental urgency. With Maryland’s coastline facing rising seas, preserving cultural sites like this becomes critical. Brown and the Greens plan quarterly exhibitions, cementing the Freedom Center as a cornerstone of the heritage corridor and a hub for legacy preservation.

In a world with only a handful of Tubman photographs, this exhibition opens new portals. Brown reflected, “The magic and mystery of Harriet Tubman are captured in the collection, and I’m happy folks will get to see what artists in our communities are creating.”