Martha Graham Dance Company performs Baye & Asa’s Cortege

Hunter - Catskill Mountain Foundation presents Baye & Asa’s Cortege performed by the world-renowned Martha Graham Dance Company on Saturday, September 28 at 7:00PM. This is the culminating event for the company’s week-long Works & Process LaunchPAD technical residency at Catskill Mountain Foundation’s Orpheum Performing Arts Center. 

Drawing inspiration from Martha Graham’s Cortege of Eagles, Baye & Asa focus on Charon, the ferryman who shepherds souls to the underworld. In Graham’s work, the Trojan Empire is crumbling, and Charon is the conductor of its inevitable fall. Baye & Asa’s Cortege removes this central figure of mythological predestination,

and instead places the burden of fate on the ensemble. Together, they generate the cyclical momentum of war.

The program will also include Lamentation, which premiered in New York City       on January 8, 1930, at Maxine Elliot’s Theater,to music by the Hungarian composer Zoltán Kodály. The dance is performed almost entirely from a seated position, with the dancer encased in a tube of purple

jersey. The diagonals and tensions formed by the dancer’s body struggling within the material create a moving sculpture, a portrait which presents the very essence of grief. The figure in this dance is neither human nor animal, neither male nor female: it is grief itself.

Martha Graham has had a deep and lasting impact on American art and culture. She

single-handedly defined contemporary dance as a uniquely American art form, which

the nation has in turn shared with the world. Crossing artistic boundaries, she 

collaborated with and commissioned work from the leading visual artists, musicians, and

designers of her day, including sculptor Isamu Noguchi and composers Aaron Copland,

Samuel Barber, and Gian Carlo Menotti.

The Martha Graham Dance Company has been a leader in the evolving art form of

modern dance since its founding in 1926. It is both the oldest dance company in the

United States and the oldest integrated dance company. Today, the Company is embracing a new programming vision that showcases masterpieces by Graham alongside newly commissioned works by contemporary artists.  “Some of the most skilled and powerful dancers you can ever hope to see,” according to the Washington Post last year. “One of the great companies of the world,” says The New York Times, while Los Angeles Times notes, “They seem able to do anything, and to make it look easy as well as poetic.”

The Orpheum Performing Arts Center is located at 6050 Main Street, Tannersville, NY. Purchase tickets at www.catskillmtn.org, email boxoffice@catskillmtn.org or call 518-263-2063.

For more information, please visit www.catskillmtn.org. 

About Catskill Mountain Foundation
The Catskill Mountain Foundation’s (CMF) aim is to provide educational opportunities in the arts for youth and lifelong learners, to bring the experience of the arts to the Catskill community, and to support artists and art organizations in the development of their work through residencies. Since its founding in 1998, CMF has presented hundreds of music, dance, and theater performances; screened over 1,000 films to tens of thousands of audience members; provided studio arts classes to thousands of students of all ages; and served thousands of art-loving patrons in the Catskill Mountain Foundation Gift Shop. The Catskill Mountain Foundation operates the Doctorow Center for the Arts in Hunter, the Orpheum Performing Arts Center in Tannersville, and the Sugar Maples Center for Creative Arts in Maplecrest, NY.

Since 1998, CMF has raised, generated, and invested close to $16 million in facility development and an excess of $42 million in programming operations, for a total investment in the Catskill community of over $58 million. Catskill Mountain Foundation is supported in part by New York State Council on the Arts, the Greene County Cultural Fund administered by the Greene County Legislature, The Jarvis and Constance Doctorow Family Foundation, The Royce Family Foundation, The Samuel and Esther Doctorow Fund, The Orville and Ethel Slutzky Family Foundation, Platte Clove Bruderhof Community, Bank of Greene County Charitable Foundation, The Greene County Youth Bureau, Marshall & Sterling Insurance, All Souls’ Church, Stewarts Shops, Windham Foundation, and by private donations. CMF believes that the arts can transform the lives of those touched by it and can transform the community. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Painting Pumpkins in Autumn - A Watercolor Workshop

WINDHAM — Join us at the Windham Public Library on Saturday, October 5th, 2024 for a watercolor workshop led by Alice Tunison.  Brilliant pumpkins will serve as our still life study. With colorful autumn leaves creating even more picturesque beauty. Alice will guide each participant through making some of the most beautiful pumpkins put on paper. Everyone will get to take home a nicely framed piece of artwork to adorn their homes through the Autumn holidays.

This workshop is for ages 9 and up and will take place from 10:30am - 12:30pm, no experience is needed and all supplies will be provided. 

Space is limited for this event, call 518-734-4405 to register today. We hope to see you there. Happy Fall Y'all!

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Rosh Hashanah Services Oct. 2, 3, 4

HUNTER — Rosh Hashanah services will be held on Wednesday night, October 2, Thursday October 3, and Friday, October 4 at Hunter Synagogue Main St, Hunter.

Rabbi Bella Bogart will conduct the services.

All are welcome to join us.

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Out Lexington Way

By Christine Dwon

Saturday, Sept. 28 is the Lexington Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. under the pavilion at the Lexington Municipal Building, 3542 Route 42.  A wonderful selection of produce, eggs, meats, baked goods, jams, cheeses, mushrooms and more.  

Also on Saturday, Sept. 28 is the Wildlife Festival at the Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project, 1378 State Route 30, North Blenheim from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  There will be over 50 animal species from alpacas to kangaroos, a petting zoo, wildlife themed activities and crafts, birds of prey, demonstrations and canine agility trials, local craft vendors and food trucks.  Free admission and free parking, rain or shine.

There is a Victorian Tea at the Zadock Pratt Museum, 14540 Main Street, Prattsville on Saturday, Sept. 28 with limited seating at 12 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.  The cost is $35 per person.  RSVP at 201-388-5103. 

Mountain Top Parish joint worship service, 10 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 29 at the East Jewett UMC, 2252, Route 23C.  All invited.

Happy anniversary to Amelia and Tom Osborn on Friday, Sept. 27.

Also celebrating their wedding anniversary on Sept. 27 are Susan and Emmett Turk.

Happy birthday on Sept. 27 to Daniel Dymond.

Best wishes to everyone.

Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 4 p.m. is the Lexington/West Kill UMC Administrative Council meeting in the Lexington church hall.

The date of the Town of Lexington Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary dinner meeting, originally planned for Thursday, Oct. 17, has been changed.   The dinner meeting will now be held on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 5 p.m. at the Chicken Run in Windham.

There is so much going on in the month of October.  Mark your calendars.

Sock-tober is back!  The Hunter Public Library, 7965 Main Street, Hunter, is collecting new socks for Greene County Community Action for the homeless and women’s shelters.  

Thursday, Oct. 3, 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. at the Jewett Senior Nutrition site, Jewett, there will be a Greene County Public Health 2024 Flu Clinic.   Participates in most insurances:  Medicare, Medicaid, Senior Blue, United Health Care, NS Empire Plan, BSNENY, Empire BC/BS, Fidelis and CDPHP.  Call 518-719-3600 for more information.

The second Tuesday of the month (Oct. 8) is the Coffee Klatch at the Hunter Public Library from 10.30 to 12 with light refreshments, coffee and tea.

Tuesday, Oct. 8 is the Soup and Fellowship Kitchen at the Kaaterskill UMC, 5942 Main Street, Tannersville from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Stop by for the fellowship, a free bowl of soup and a sandwich.  All are welcomed.

Friday, Oct. 11 at 10 a.m., volunteers are needed for tree planting, 41 Wolff Road, West Kill – Trout Unlimited, West Kill Brewing, New York Department of Environment Conservation.

Saturday, Oct. 12 is the Tannersville Pumpkin Walk and Lighting from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Tannersville Lake.  Bring your best carved pumpkin and candle.  Prizes for the top three pumpkins and People’s Choice.  Registration 7 p.m. - 7:30 p.m., awards at 8:15 p.m.

The 30th Annual Autumn Affair is being held in Windham, Main Street, on Saturday Oct. 12 and Sunday Oct. 13.  Music, food and drink, arts, crafts vendors, children activities, pony rides, tastings. sidewalk sales, exhibits and demonstrations, hay wagon rides, chain saw carving demonstrations, ax throwing and more.   Free shuttle to and from Windham Mountain.

Spooktacular on Saturday, Oct. 19, noon to 6 p.m. at the Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project, 1378 State Route 30, North Blenheim. Tour the haunted Lansing Manor, spooky hayride and Blenheim Monster Search, children’s costume parade at 2 p.m., psychic and tarot card readings (18 and over, for entertainment purposes only), local craft vendors and food trucks.  Free admission and parking.

Nutrition Education with Nicole Gehman, MS, RD, CD-N, sponsored by Greene County Department of Human Services on Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Jewett Senior Nutrition site.  Session starts at 11:30 a.m., come learn about healthy nutrition habits, ask questions, recipe and tasting to follow.  If you would like to stay for lunch please call a day in advance by noon, 518-263-4392.

Micro Sunday School is going to held on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Lexington/West Kill UMC in Lexington with Halloween dress-up and Sunday School (on Saturday).  Call 518-429-8054 if you need more information or have questions.

The annual Halloween Brunch hosted by the West Kill/Lexington Community Improvement Association will be held Sunday, Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Community Hall, 141 Spruceton Road, West Kill.  Cost is $15 per person, free if you are 5 years old and under.  There will be pumpkin painting for the kiddos.

Thank you to all law enforcement, firefighters, EMS, dispatchers, healthcare providers, volunteers, veterans and actively serving military, farmers, truck drivers and so many more.

Prayers for all who are dealing with loss, illnesses, healing, difficulties, our country, our military and their families, the world.

Until next week take care, be thankful, be respectful, be safe and please be kind to one another.  Your act of kindness may change someone’s life.

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Sgt. James F. Carty, DSC VFW Post 1545

Our town’s Autumn Affair is October 12th and 13th and will be a bit better weather wise compared to last year when we had a washout on the first day. 

The following day was a big improvement, and the streets were full of visitors. I am hoping for a great weekend this year.

Our post will have its usual spot across from the post office on main street. Stop by visit the veterans manning the booth. We will be selling raffle tickets with a first prize of $1,000 cash. 

This past week our post was invited to the WAJCS for a POW/MIA Remembrance Day assembly.

We performed a military flag folding including the 13 meanings of each fold. Along with the meaning of our POW/MIA table with students placing each item on the table as we explained what they mean.

I want to thank Melissa Palumbo for her work putting this together. We also gave Ms. Palumbo entry forms for the VFW Patriot Pen and Voice of Democracy contests.

Each student will receive a cash prize for entering the contest at the post level with a presentation of awards at our post.

We then send the top three from our post onto the District judging and should they win that level, they proceed to the State judging.

Upon winning that level, the entrant and parents get an all-expense trip to Washington, D.C. for the National judging. 

The winner of the Patriot Pen contest will then receive $ 6,000 and the Voice of Democracy winner receives a $35,000.00 scholarship award. 

Over the years, WAJCS had two advance to win at the District level. I want to open this contest to the home-schooled students, so if you are in that category, let me know and I will make entry forms available. You can contact me at 518-810-3109.

Some news from Congress: The Senate passed the House-introduced emergency appropriations bill to cover the VA’s $3 billion-dollar budgetary shortfall.

If a spending bill had not passed by the end of the week, the results would have been financially devastating to millions of veterans.

It’s worth noting that this bill would not have passed with bipartisan support if not for veteran advocates within Congress and the veteran community. 

The nearly 7 million veterans who rely on VA benefits, to include disability compensation and even the GI Bill, can now have peace of mind that benefits will be delivered on time, October 1.

In keeping with the POW/MIA theme, listed are some of the soldiers that the Defense Accounting Agency announced. 

World War II Army Air Forces 1st Lt. Wylie W. Leverett. In late 1944, Leverett was assigned to the 708th Bombardment Squadron, 447th Bombardment Group, 4th Combat Bomb Wing, 3rd Air Division, 8th Air Force in the European Theater. On Dec. 30, Leverett, the pilot onboard a B-17G “Flying Fortress” Fuddy Duddy, was lost when his aircraft collided with another American aircraft while on a bombing mission to Mannheim, Germany.

World War II Army Tech Sgt. Thomas O. Moss. In November 1944, Moss was assigned to Company A, 1st Battalion, 112th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. His battalion had been tasked with capturing the town of Schmidt, Germany, in the Hürtgen Forest. A heavy German counterattack near Richelskaul overran his unit and forced survivors to withdraw to Kommerscheidt where they fought against additional enemy attacks for several days. He was reported killed in action on Nov. 7., while fighting enemy forces at Kommerscheidt. His remains could not be recovered after the attack. 

Korean War Army Sgt. 1st Class Walter A. Ross Jr. In early 1951, Ross was a member of Love Company, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division. He was reported missing in action after his unit engaged in combat actions with the North Korean People’s Army near Sang-nok, South Korea, on Feb. 14, 1951. U.S. defensive positions were attacked and overrun, and Ross was not immediately accounted for.

These are just a few of the soldiers recovered. Let us keep them in our thoughts and prayers along with our troops still serving our country. God Bless America. 

Marc Farmilette – Commander VFW Post 1545.

Pictured below: 

Students and Veterans at the WAJCS POW/MIA Remembrance Day Assembly

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LEGISLATURE STUFF - Money for Moving and Removing

By Michael Ryan

ASHLAND - Lord willing and the creek don’t rise in the meantime, Greene County Legislature members will seek money to move a county highway department garage located in the town of Ashland.

Lawmakers, earlier this month, authorized the submission of an application to the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) “Flood Hazard Implementation Program” for the funding.

The CWC dollars, if received, would support a feasibility study to, “continue the process of identifying parcels whereby one might serve as a relocation site,” the legislative resolution states.

Finding a new home is desired because, “highway garage #3 in Ashland is subject to flooding and provides a critical function during floods,” the legislative resolution states.

“The town of Ashland prepared and adopted a local flood analysis (LFA) that evaluated a range of flood mitigation options.”

That study was done in the aftermath of destructive flooding from Hurricane Irene, in the summer of 2011, prompting many communities to search for ways to avoid repetitive repairs in case of future events.

“The Ashland LFA recommended relocating Garage #3 out of the floodplain as the top priority, given that the highway garage has flooded three times since 1996,” the resolution states.

No timeframe has been set for possibly making the project happen. “We are trying to work with DEC and DEP to determine the best location,” county highway superintendent Scott Templeton says.

Those conversations, with the Department of Environmental Conservation and Department of Environmental Protection, “have been going on for at least two years,” Templeton says.

“It is so difficult, these days, to find a piece of property that has the kind of acreage we need that isn’t way out of what we want to spend,” Templeton says, noting the existing site sits on five acres.

The CWC was born out of the landmark January 17, 1997, New York City Watershed Memorandum of Agreement (MOA), their website states.

That pact is established between City, State, Federal and environmental entities, the Coalition of Watershed Towns, and every Watershed municipality.

The CWC is a not for profit Local Development Corporation which executes numerous New York City-funded environmental protection, economic development and education programs throughout the New York City Watershed West of the Hudson River.

CWC’s programs are intended to protect the quality of the water which sustains 9 million residents of New York City and its suburbs, while at the same time preserving and strengthening the rural communities within the five counties of the Catskill and Delaware Watershed.

In another matter related to the mountaintop, lawmakers approved a resolution to, “adopt a determination and findings following the public hearing conducted in regard to the county route 40 (Maplecrest Road) bridge replacement project in the town of Windham.”

The public hearing was held, this past summer, “in order to progress to the project final design phase and right-of-way acquisition phase.”

A handful of properties are being impacted by the job including the former Morrow General Store and post office in the hamlet of Maplecrest.

While the building has some local historic significance, it lays directly in the path of the necessary project path as determined by the New York State Department of Transportation, working in close coordination with the Federal Highway Administration.

The building must, therefore, be removed. Construction is not expected to begin until 2026, according to county highway chief Scott Templeton.

Between then and now, the potentially complicated acquisition of impacted lands must proceed within strict eminent domain guidelines.

That legal process was detailed as part of the public hearing and includes a visit to each property owner by a Right-of-Way specialist, using tax assessments and current market value to arrive at a price.

Replacement of the county route 40 overpass, where it meets county route 56, crossing over the Bataviakill, is necessary because, “a 2020 biennial inspection resulted in a rating indicating the structure is moderately deteriorated,” the legislative resolution states.

“The existing bridge was constructed in 1936 and consists of a single-span superstructure with prestressed concrete voided slab unit founded on cast-in-place concrete abutments.

“The streambed of the Bataviakill below the bridge is degrading due to the poor alignment of the existing bridge abutments and stream channel.

“The alignment of the county route 40/56 intersection, immediately east of the bridge, has multiple geometric deficiencies,” that will be remedied by the project, the resolution states.

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Local Zoning Regulations Priority After Passage of Comprehensive Plan

By Michael Ryan

LEXINGTON - It won’t be happening lickety-split although an update of the local zoning regulations will be the priority after passage of a new Comprehensive Plan in Lexington.

Town board members approved the revision, last week, following a pair of required public hearings and nearly two years of painstaking attention to detail by a special committee.

That committee was composed of planning board chairwoman Jenni Cawein, former town councilwoman Lynn Byrne and resident Kim McGalliard, working with outside consultant Nan Stolzenburg.

Cawein, providing background on the thinking that went into the fresh document, says, “we wanted this to be very simple..

“Our town is very simple. We wanted this to sound like our town. Hopefully, this draws people to take part in making the the future of our community,” Cawein says.

Fully expecting things to come to fruition slow and steady, town supervisor 

JoEllen Schermerhorn says, “the committee did a very thorough job. 

“Achieving the goals in the Plan won’t happen overnight but this gives us a good foundation to move forward,” Schermerhorn says..

Toward that end the Plan states, “all of the recommended actions for this comprehensive plan involve the creation of [additional] local committees

Topping that list will be a group of residents focused on updating the local zoning and subdivision law, identified as the primary goal in the Plan.

That committee will include members of the local planning and zoning boards and interested community members, using recommendations contained within the document for direction.

Secondly, a Core Committee will be formed, “charged with overseeing, assisting and identifying funding sources for town projects.”

The Core Committee will attempt to secure necessary grant dollars to get things done, leveraging any money received to possibly get even more funds, the document states, taking the proverbial bull by the horns. 

The list of short term and long term goals was derived from a townwide survey, falling into the following categories:

—Community and economic development projects, Infrastructure projects, Natural resource improvements projects, Emergency preparedness, resiliency and sustainability projects.

Outlining the community’s Vision Statement, the updated Comprehensive Plan states that the present and continuing dream for Lexington is:

—“To be remarkable for its rural, mountaintop character, extraordinary natural beauty, its quiet and peaceful quality of life, and its close knit, small, and friendly community.

“The quiet and unique natural setting of the Town continues to be one of its strongest assets, attracting permanent and long-term seasonal residents and visitors alike.

“Lexington remains predominantly rural and residential, with a low density of residences that provide housing opportunities for people of all incomes. 

“We welcome small, locally oriented businesses concentrated in our hamlets. Our history and historical character, especially in the hamlets, continue to be an important aspect of our community.

“Over the next 10 years, the Town will have well-maintained and safe local roads, accessible emergency services and other public services needed by our community members.

“Our vision is to moderate growth inconsistent with the values of Lexington,” the updated Comprehensive Plan states.

“There is a strong desire to prevent growth that diminishes our sense of place, beautiful environment and natural resources.

“Widespread residential development and more intensive businesses or tourist operations are controlled so as to maintain the essence of Lexington.

“The Town wishes to maintain home rule to the greatest extent possible, to support a stable economy for the benefit of its residents and to provide a safe, healthy environment for all of its families.”

As the next decade unfolds, the collective goals of the community, as stated in the revised Comprehensive Plan, are to:

—Promote the social and economic stability of the Town to ensure Lexington is a resilient and sustainable community.

—Promote development of small local businesses related to the natural resource assets and those that serve the local community and visitors.

—Emphasize growth in and adjacent to the hamlet areas to reinforce these established community centers. 

—Allow for and promote housing opportunities that are accessible long-term and affordable to a wide range of people, in a manner that is consistent with the desire to maintain a low-intensity, smaller scale community.

—Preserve, protect and manage our natural and sensitive environmental assets, including aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna, streams, forests, and viewsheds.

—Preserve water quality as a key environmental, community character, and economic asset. Manage, control, and prevent spread of invasive species.

—Encourage green building and energy efficient building techniques.

Ensure development promotes dark sky conditions to protect our night sky.

—Protect the rural character, historic beauty, and open space in Lexington.

Minimize conflicts between development and existing natural resources. 

—Development should complement the existing public facilities and transportation network because this network respects natural features limitations and follows historic development patterns.

—Preserve agricultural lands and promote the development of small local farms. Protect and preserve historic sites.

—Discourage large scale commercial and industrial development while promoting low impact local commercial uses, such as individual stores, professional offices and restaurants in the established centers.

Setting the stage for the next generations, the document states, “this Comprehensive Plan should not be viewed as an end product.

“In fact, this Plan is an update of the previous [Plan] adopted December, 2003. This Plan should be updated every 10 years, or as needed.”

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The Tubman Talk

By Michael Ryan

TANNERSVILLE - A different kind of bravery was exhibited by petite Harriet Tubman, a conductor on the Underground Railroad who is the subject of a historical talk September 28, at 10 a.m., at the Mountaintop Arboretum.

University at Albany professor Janell Hobson is the presenter, sharing aspects of Tubman’s life commonly known and unknown.

There was nothing common about Tubman, a five-foot tall woman who rose above the vulgarities of 19th Century slavery in America, changing the course of history in secret and in-your-face.

She led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom during a time when it was illegal and literally life-threatening, armed with resolute purpose and, if the need arrived, a revolver.

Tubman did that and incredibly more in a murky era when Black lives were treated as if they didn’t matter (and less than that), a concept and reality this woman born as Araminta Ross utterly refused to accept.

“I have always been fascinated by Harriet,” says Jennifer Hemmerlein, the Mountaintop Arboretum executive director, telling why she reached out to Professor Hobson.

“When I was younger, I thought ‘This lady is so brave.’ I remember, as a little kid, taking a school trip to the Tubman museum.

“When I came to the Arboretum, last June, I inherited a strategic plan to diversity our programming,” Hammerlein says.

“We had a lot of horticulture programs. We wanted to offer more diverse voices and histories. There is an interest in presenters of indigenous programming on the mountaintop.

“There are so many important voices to be heard. Harriet Tubman’s role in the Underground Railroad has been explored, and enough cannot be said about what she did,” Hammerlein says

“Something that has not been explored is her skill as a naturalist. I thought this would be a good, new perspective on her.”

Which is where Professor Hobson enters the picture, saying. “Harriet Tubman is a larger than life figure in our culture.

“This is true not just in terms of our country’s history. She is in our national memory. She is also a current representative, talked about in Hip Hop.

“I became deeply connected to Harriet Tubman when I was organizing her centennial anniversary at the University, marking her passing,” Professor Hobson says.

Tubman died on March 10, 1913. Her birth is less pinpointed, born into slavery, suffering a severe head injury at the hands of her enslavers, afterwards experiencing unusual visions and vivid dreams.

She interpreted the visions and dreams as premonitions from the Almighty, becoming religiously devoted to Him and her kindred spirits here, as well.

Escaping slavery, she made multiple journeys from freedom back to the terrifying terrain of her own enslavement, leading scores of folks to the earthly Promised Land.

Tubman, not content with those amazingly courageous efforts (undertaken in the dangerous shadows of the Fugitive Slave Law), also aligned herself with and shared the aspirations of John Brown.

She helped plan and recruit supporters for Brown’s ill-fated, 18959 anti-slavery raid on Harpers Ferry, getting the nickname General Tubman, lighting a spark that would engulf the nation in the Civil War

Tubman was no less active in wartime, serving as a Union Army nurse and cook and eventually an armed scout and spy, lauded as the first woman ever to lead an armed military operation for the red-white-and-blue.

She crossed paths with the similarly heroic Sojourner Truth and the likes of Susan B. Anthony, entwining herself in the women's suffrage movement.

Tubman quietly retired to the family home she had purchased in Auburn, New York, the site of her grave and the Museum in her honor.

In what many consider a long overdue tribute, the campaign to place Tubman on U.S. currency is slated to be actualized by 2030.

“This is particularly appropriate,” Hobson says. “A statue is one thing. It was felt we should have a woman on something deeply in our culture, an everyday item.

“Harriet Tubman was chosen among other extremely deserving women to be on the $20 bill, replacing pro-slavery Andrew Jackson. The number correlates with the passing of the 19th Amendment, in 1920, granting women the right to vote,” Hobson says.

In the moments before she died, Tubman quoted the biblical Gospel of John to those by her beside: “I go away to prepare a place for you.” 

Tubman lived in that same spirit. “I think it is fascinating, especially in those harsh times, that she opened her home to those who needed refuge,” Hobson says.

“She grew an entire orchard on her own land. She loved strawberries and apples,” living to the fruitful age of 91.

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