A forensic review of the facts and myths of this legendary freedom fighter plus amazing details of her epic adventures in Canada
Soon to be on the American $20 bill Harriet Tubman is an international icon for freedom and equality although there are as many myths as facts about her. This presentation from the multiple award-winning Rosemary Sadlier, author of ‘Harriet Tubman Freedom Seeker, Freedom Leader’, will use interviews with Tubman descendants, archival materials and extant literature to cover the following:
-Life as a warrior woman in the 1860s
-Her unrivalled tracking and navigation skills, how she was able to evade enemies
-The incredible rescue missions against overwhelming odds
-The dangerous realities of life as spy against white supremacy
-Her leadership and political skills in overt and covert warfare
-Little known details of the lethal nature of the Underground Railroad itself; 6-9 weeks travel, hundreds of miles barefoot while being chased
-Canada’s racist history and its erasure of slavery
-What happened to the ‘passengers’ when they reached the end of the road
-Other notable freedom fighters who are less well known
-Tubman’s exchanges with Britain’s Queen Victoria: respect and recognition
-Movies versus reality
-Why and how Canada began recognising Black History Month in 1995 (the UK recognised black history month since 1987)
This is an online lecture via Zoom. The link will be sent 30 minutes before the event starts please check your JUNK mail.
About the Speaker
Rosemary Sadlier was the president of the Ontario Black History Society. The OBHS is responsible for initiating observances of Black History Month and the celebration of August 1 as Emancipation Day. She is the author of four books on African-Canadian history and consultant/co-author of a fifth. The recipient of numerous awards, including the Order of Ontario, she lives in Toronto.
Sadlier was the president of the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS) from 1993 to 2015. As president, she contributed to the recognition of Black history through education, research and outreach programs. Rosemary’s pressure was central to the Canadian government’s 1995 decision to make the celebration of Black History Month a national annual event. Rosemary was born and raised in Toronto, and she has degrees in teaching and social work. Her roots in Canada reach back to pre-Confederation: her mother’s family can be traced to 1840, while her father’s ancestors arrived in New Brunswick in 1793.
Along with the 1995 establishment of National Black History Month, in that same year Sadlier also initiated the formal celebration of August 1st as Emancipation Day, which is still being sought nationally. For Rosemary, such events have helped and will continue to help Canadian students and teachers to recognize the contributions of Black people in Canada. Rosemary has presented nationally and internationally – including to the United Nations – on the subjects of Black Canadian history, curricula, and anti-racism. She has also researched and written prolifically about Black history and Black Canadian history.
Rosemary has received several honours and awards including the Order of Ontario, the William Peyton Hubbard Race Relations Award, Women for PACE Award, the Black Links Award, the Planet Africa Marcus Garvey Award and the Harry Jerome Award. Most recently, she was awarded the Lifetime Achiever Award from the International Women Achievers’ Awards.