Broadcast originally aired on Monday, April 19, 9:30 am, on WRCR 1700AM
Virginia "Ginny" Norfleet of the Haverstraw African-American Connection appeared to tell us about how the 2,400-pound bronze statue entitled Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom by Wesley Woffard will make its way to Rockland County. The nationally-touring sculpture will be unveiled in Haverstraw on April 20 and will stay through the Juneteenth holiday. Ginny spoke about all of the interesting programs surrounding this special visit and how the public can see the sculpture and be part of this series of history-making events.
Virginia Norfleet is the founder of the Haverstraw African-American Connection, whose mission is to research, recover, preserve, and teach the rich culture and contributions of African Americans, with an emphasis on the African American people of Haverstraw. Learn more about the sculpture and the associated events at https://www.thehaac.com/
The sculpture Harriet Tubman: Journey to Freedom depicts Tubman confidently leading a young girl on the Underground Railroad to freedom from bondage. “There is a lot of embedded symbolism within the narrative of the piece,” says Wesley Wofford, the creator of the statue. “The contours of the base represent the Maryland/Delaware Peninsula, where Harriet was enslaved, eventually escaped, and continued to return for her freedom raids. The dramatic step up/cut is the Pennsylvania state line, and they are stepping out of the slave states to an elevated freedom. The dress is enveloping the young girl, billowing protectively like a flag, and is meant to represent all the legal protections afforded every United States citizen-a symbol of the future equality to come. Each hand on the sculpture signifies an attribute: Determination, Protection, Fear, and Trust. The young girl is leaning out to get a better look at where Harriet is taking her with a look of trepidation on her face. She is gripping Harriet’s right arm tightly, but her delicate finger grasp is cautiously hopeful. The girl is off balance and tentatively taking a step forward-her left foot precariously hanging off a cliff, illustrating the danger and peril of the journey. The shackles are broken, and the atrocities of slavery are left forever behind.”
About the Artist: Wesley Wofford, an Emmy- and Academy Award-winning sculptor, works from his private studio in the National Forest of North Carolina. His studio is filled with sculptures at various stages of completion, the large commissions occupying the same space as portraits, gallery pieces, and maquette studies. He was awarded Signature Status with the Portrait Society of America in March 2015 and is an elected member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Portrait Sculptors Society of the Americas. Wofford’s sculpture is reco
Crossroads of Rockland History, a program of the Historical Society of Rockland County, starts streaming new episodes on the third Monday of each month at 10am. From October 2010 to May 2025, the program aired after the morning show on WRCR radio 1700 AM and www.WRCR.com.
Join host Clare Sheridan as we explore, celebrate, and learn about our local history, with different topics and guest speakers every month. Our recorded broadcasts are also available for streaming on all major podcasts platforms and at our website.
The Historical Society of Rockland County is a nonprofit educational institution and principal repository for original documents and artifacts relating to Rockland County. Its headquarters are a four-acre site featuring a history museum and the 1832 Jacob Blauvelt House in New City, New York.
