ERASING HISTORY

Harriet Tubman Reference Removed From Website on Underground Railroad

The abolitionist’s prominent photo was replaced on the webpage.

The National Park Service (NPS) scrapped a reference to abolitionist Harriet Tubman from its webpage dedicated to the Underground Railroad, The Hill reported. Tubman’s image had been a prominent feature on the page for years. “The Underground Railroad — the resistance to enslavement through escape and flight, through the end of the Civil War — refers to the efforts of enslaved African Americans to gain their freedom by escaping bondage,” the page initially read. Tubman, born into slavery in Maryland, escaped in 1849 and later made numerous trips back to the Eastern Shore to help others find freedom, earning her the title of one of the most famous conductors of the Underground Railroad. The webpage has now been updated, with the prominent photo of Tubman replaced by commemorative postal stamps featuring those who escaped slavery or assisted others. Tubman’s stamp remains part of this new display. However, the introduction of the page now describes the Underground Railroad as “one of the most significant expressions of the American civil rights movement” and emphasizes its role in “bridging divides of race.” Also, the phrase “enslaved African Americans” has been changed to “enslaved workers.”