Philadelphia City Unveils Call for Inspirational Quote to Accompany Harriet Tubman Statue
The city of Philadelphia has launched an open call for local writers to submit original quotes that will be etched into the back of a 15-foot statue of abolitionist Harriet Tubman outside City Hall. The monument, designed by artist Alvin Pettit, features two sides of the base with quotes from Tubman herself, as well as an additional inscription created by a Philadelphia-based writer.
The city's Office of Arts and Culture, Creative Philadelphia, is seeking submissions that reflect Tubman's impact on future generations, with answers ranging from literal to metaphorical interpretations. The selected quote will be chosen through a public survey where residents can vote for their favorite entry. While the winner's name won't be attributed to the statue itself, their credit will be featured on the piece.
Tubman's original quotes, which include "And I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight" and "For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted," serve as a foundation for the city's call. The statue, initially commissioned with a $500,000 budget but later met with backlash due to lack of open submissions, was eventually chosen from five finalists.
Pettit's design was inspired by Arnold Friberg's 1975 painting of George Washington, which captures the founding father in prayer. Pettit aims to evoke a similar sense of reverence and inspiration from viewers as they stand behind Tubman's statue. The bronze sculpture is scheduled for completion, but no updates have been provided on its installation date.
The city invites residents to share their thoughts on what it means to walk in Harriet Tubman's footsteps today, with submissions due by March 1.
The city of Philadelphia has launched an open call for local writers to submit original quotes that will be etched into the back of a 15-foot statue of abolitionist Harriet Tubman outside City Hall. The monument, designed by artist Alvin Pettit, features two sides of the base with quotes from Tubman herself, as well as an additional inscription created by a Philadelphia-based writer.
The city's Office of Arts and Culture, Creative Philadelphia, is seeking submissions that reflect Tubman's impact on future generations, with answers ranging from literal to metaphorical interpretations. The selected quote will be chosen through a public survey where residents can vote for their favorite entry. While the winner's name won't be attributed to the statue itself, their credit will be featured on the piece.
Tubman's original quotes, which include "And I prayed to God to make me strong and able to fight" and "For no man should take me alive; I should fight for my liberty as long as my strength lasted," serve as a foundation for the city's call. The statue, initially commissioned with a $500,000 budget but later met with backlash due to lack of open submissions, was eventually chosen from five finalists.
Pettit's design was inspired by Arnold Friberg's 1975 painting of George Washington, which captures the founding father in prayer. Pettit aims to evoke a similar sense of reverence and inspiration from viewers as they stand behind Tubman's statue. The bronze sculpture is scheduled for completion, but no updates have been provided on its installation date.
The city invites residents to share their thoughts on what it means to walk in Harriet Tubman's footsteps today, with submissions due by March 1.
I think its so cool that the city of Philly is letting regular people get a chance to contribute something special about Harriet Tubmans legacy! 
Its amazing how much impact one person can have on history and it would be awesome to see some new perspectives added to her story. 
Im curious to see what kind of quotes come in though - some literal ones that talk about freedom and fighting against oppression and others that are a bit more abstract. 
Kids these days have so many unique insights into whats important to them and it would be awesome to hear their thoughts on what walking in Harriets footsteps means to them today. 
! I mean, who wouldn't want to have a quote that'll be etched into a massive statue of Harriet Tubman? It's like, an amazing opportunity for writers to get their work seen by so many people 
. And the fact that there's gonna be a public survey where residents can vote is just cool, you know? Gives everyone a say in what they want to see on that statue.
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. Who knows, maybe one of our local writers is gonna come up with something amazing 
. Fingers crossed for that 
. And can you imagine how beautiful it's gonna look with those quotes etched into the back of her statue? 
. I mean, Harriet Tubman was all about breaking free from slavery and fighting for freedom, so it'd be cool to see a quote that reflects that vibe 
I think this is a great idea! Having a quote that reflects our views on Harriet Tubman's impact on future generations would be really inspiring. You know, when I was younger, my grandma used to tell me stories about her own experiences with racism and how Harriet Tubman's bravery made all the difference. Now, as someone who's been fortunate enough to live a long life, I've come to realize just how much we can learn from history.
I'm low-key obsessed with this idea! 
but i guess thats just progress right? 
. Maybe something like "Our strength is not just in our actions, but in our willingness to take a stand for what we believe" or "Freedom isn't just about escaping one prison, it's also about creating a world where everyone can be free". 
I'm definitely going to check out the submissions and see what kind of amazing ideas come from our community 
Then whats the point? Maybe they should just stick with one of the quotes from her original writings? 
. anyway, looking forward to seeing what people come up with! 
. plus, I don't know if the city's idea of a "reflection on Tubman's impact" is going to lead to something meaningful or just some cheesy phrase 
. and what's with the voting thing? aren't they worried that people will just vote for whatever sounds good instead of really thinking about it? 