Statues Honoring Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman Now On Display At Maryland State House
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- There are now statues of two of America's pioneers inside the Maryland State House.
Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are standing in the very room where slavery was abolished more than a century ago.
Weighing between 400 and 500 pounds, they're a massive presence when visitors and workers walk in the hallowed halls of the Maryland State House.
The statues were unveiled at a public ceremony Monday night as part of a movement to recognize the accomplishments of Tubman and Douglass.
"As we reflect on the countless contributions of these remarkable leaders, it will help remind each of us to always stand on the side of goodness and love," Governor Larry Hogan said.
Descendants of both Tubman and Douglass looked on with pride as the statues were unveiled.
"It just means so much to my family to be able to share these moments with my mom, my great aunt, my cousins," Shelton Hawkins, Tubman's great nephew, said. "Having my whole family come out today and be able to see this all together and to go in at the same time as Frederick Douglass is something that's truly a blessing."
There was once a time when Tubman and Douglass wouldn't have been allowed to enter Maryland's State House. Now, their bravery and spirit forever mark the halls.