I Painted Harriet Tubman After my son Learned About Her at School

"I freed a thousand slaves I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves." - Harriet Tubman

Painting Harriet Tubman

The above quote has been on my website for a few years now. The words come from the incredible woman known as Harriet Tubman. 

Here are a few more Harriet quotes: 

"I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of two things I had a right to, liberty or death; if I could not have one, I would have the other."

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

"Twant me, ’twas the Lord. I always told him, “I trust to you. I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I expect you to lead me,” and he always did."

"It wasn’t me, it was the Lord! I always told Him, ‘I trust to you. I don’t know where to go or what to do, but I expect You to lead me,’ and He always did."

I feel unworthy to tell her story.  A few years ago I first heard a snippet of her story, I think from one of my kids. She filled my thoughts until I was able to put her face to canvas. Imagining the hard moments she endured gave me insight into every stroke I painted. In fact, this painting was done without even sketching her first. 

Harriet was born a slave. She says she didn't even know what freedom was. Once she learned about freedom she went after it. Liberty or die became her life motto. After being born an enslaved black woman, she escaped and ran until she was in territory that recognized her as free.  She went on to work in the Union Army and lead troops into the underground railroad. One of the moments of her life that remains in my mind was when a man, filled with fear, wanted to turn around and go back to his plantation. She stuck a gun in his face and was wlling to kill him in order to save the rest. 

If we each lived with the strength that she had this world would surely be a different place. The thing is, we all have it in us. That's why these stories reach so deep down. I believe we can feel our own bravery stir up when we see a leader such as her. 

I'm talking about this now because Universal Pictures has made a movie called 'Harriet'. It's coming out this fall. Here's the trailer. You can decide for yourself if it's going to be good or not!! 

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See you in theatres!

Charla

“Be Free or die!”