001cape may new jersey is best known for stunning beaches surf and victorian architecture but a less familiar chapter in cape may's history has now resurfaced long ago slaves crossed the waters of the delaware bay seeking freedom and harriet tubman the abolitionist and former slave worked and lived in cape may and helped others find freedom now there is a new museum which honors those involved and offers this living heritage to future generations it seems as though once we started the idea of the harry tubman museum all of kate may wanted to have a part in renovating the house and making sure that it was successful so many of the carpenters and the builders and the renovations gave their time or gave their materials but we were very fortunate and blessed to have so many people who
002just wanted to have a part in renovating the harriet tubman museum our challenge was that the smithsonian magazine had just named the harriet tubman museum of cape may as one of the 10 most anticipated museums in the world to open in 2020 so we had a lot of attention but not a lot of ways during 2020 to respond to it the harriet tubman museum actually is the george hau house and was originally our parsonage for the macedonia baptist church which is located right next door to the museum the connection with harriet tubman and kate may is harriet tubman's time that she spent freeing slaves included some time in philadelphia during that time in philadelphia she was able to connect with others who came to kate may to work jobs to earn money and with that
003money that she earned during the two summers or more that she spent in cape may she used it to finance her trips and to take slaves to freedom there are many wonderful exhibits historical exhibits in the harriet tubman museum some that connect to harriet tubman some that connect to the story of slavery and slavery's evolution in new jersey we also have a whole section that speaks to the abolitionists in cape may stephen smith whose house is right across the street from the harriet tubman museum we have videos we have the video of william still who talks about in his book the underground railroad the role of kate may and how many slaves crossed the delaware bay to get to cape may and then in cape may they either stayed with landowners in lower township and
004or people in cape may who hid them and got them up to philadelphia from philadelphia moving on to different directions to freedom what i what i hope that they take away is that we are so much better when we work together when we feel comfortable sharing our voices when we acknowledge our history when we can open up and and have strong voices and not be afraid to share them i want them to walk away knowing that it wasn't a one-person project it was a community project that came forward i want them to see that kate may values history all history so there isn't one story there's many stories we seized the opportunity to use harriet tubman as a springboard to say yes she did wonderful things but there were many people in cape may african-american
005and not who did great things to make kate may what it is today what i most like to add is that we are hopeful that the harriet tubman museum will be a regeneration to spark interest to all types of cultures and and people to return to cape may to bring its diversity back to bring its young people back to um have something here that everyone would be interested to come in and say what a great story and to walk away and say i can do it i can be better i can be part of the change i can be the change congratulations again this is an extraordinary day this is a welcome and wonderful addition to our state's cultural and historical landscape god bless you all thank you [Music] you