A photo of Lovie Hope Duncan reaching out to touch Tubman’s hand in the mural has already racked up nearly 12,000 likes and has been shared about 4,000 times on Twitter, where journalist Yashar Ali shared it May 18. The original photo was posted on Instagram by the account Maiden Maryland.
Sometimes the simple things in life mean so much as evidenced by a child high-fiving a mural depicting the freedom fighter. Awesome.
In the photo, the young girl, named Lovie, can be seen high-fiving Tubman’s extended hand in the painting.
According to the 3-year-old’s grandmother Tracy Kilgore Lynndee, Duncan was captivated by the painting after going on a walk with her grandmother.
Amazing photo
A little girl touches Harriet Tubman’s hand
This is a new mural on the side of the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center.
Original Photo: https://t.co/ZGJQG766zSpic.twitter.com/Lryj5AVGWl– Yashar Ali (@yashar) May 18, 2019
The original photo was captured by Lovie’s grandma, Tracy Kilgore Lynndee, at a recent visit to the new mural, which was painted outside the Harriet Tubman Museum & Education Center, Cambridge, MD.
“Lovie is only 3. She loves to walk around town with us on pretty days to look and explore,” Kilgore Lynndee told a local NBC station in an interview this week. “When she saw the mural it startled her for a moment because she wasn’t expecting it.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) was one of hundreds on Twitter who celebrated the photo.
Such a powerful photo of 3-year-old Lovie Hope Duncan at the Harriet Tubman mural in Cambridge. Can’t wait to visit and see Maryland artist, Michael Rosato’s artwork. Now, let’s make sure we also honor this great American hero by putting Tubman’s image on the $20 bill. pic.twitter.com/FP1OjreZAH– Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 21, 2019
In an interview with a viewer, Rosato talked about what he is trying to convey through this mural.
“The inspiration comes from that moment when a slave has to make a decision to go. This incredibly strong and compassionate woman is about to offer that hand for that freedom. And I thought, how do I capture that moment where it all happens, when the risk was taken to run from the slave owner, to a woman taking a risk to bring you through to the other side. This is that special moment when the hand is being offered. She has to be compassionate, but has to assert a certain authority.”
The mural was commissioned by the Dorchester Center for the Arts for the 50th Anniversary of the Maryland State Arts Council. It is a partnership project between Dorchester Center for the Arts, Alpha Genesis CDC, The Maryland State Arts Council, and the Harriet Tubman Organization, with additional support from Downtown Cambridge. As public art it represents a gift to the people of Cambridge, Dorchester County, and beyond.
The Tubman Museum & Educational Center, located at 424 Race Street in Cambridge, MD, is run by volunteers who have been working to share Tubman’s legacy for decades. The museum includes exhibits about Tubman and the Underground Railroad. . The museum is also the site of the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Conference, coming up May 31-June 1.
