The nationally-touring Harriet Tubman – Beacon of Hope Monument is scheduled to arrive in Peekskill on Wednesday, May, 1, 2024, according to Bill Powers, Executive Director of the Peekskill Business Improvement District.

The statue was created by world-renowned sculptor Wesley Wofford, and is the second nationally touring statue of Tubman that he has created. As reported in the Peekskill Herald in December of 2020, the previous Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom statue was in residence in Peekskill from December 14, 2020 to February 28, 2021 and attracted people from all over the northeast.

The newest monument will be in residence on the corner of Central Avenue and North Division Street, across from the downtown Gazebo, from May 1 through Peekskill’s Juneteenth Celebration on June 15, 2024. Thousands will be able to see the statue when they visit Peekskill for the 7th annual Peekskill Rotary Cherry Blossom Festival this weekend, over the Memorial Day weekend, and during the annual Peekskill Juneteenth Parade and festivities. As of this writing, the statue is being readied to be transported overnight from the National Underground Railroad Museum in Ohio.

“While here, we invite visitors to see the statue and discover what Peekskill has to offer. We have fine dining establishments, nice shops and convenient parking within easy walking distance of the monument,” said Richard Rogers, Peekskill BID Board President.

While anywhere in Peekskill or in the downtown on May 1st to see the brand new Harriet Tubman – Beacon of Hope Monument, there is no better time to grab a coffee, grab a bite, have a drink, or buy a gift card at a local restaurant as the Peekskill City School District Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) will hold their 2nd Annual Dine Out night in the City where local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales to the Peekskill PTO. You can support Peekskill businesses while also supporting Peekskill students. In addition, check out the Peekskill City School District Art Show at the Westchester Community College extension from 5-6pm where artwork will be displayed from Peekskill students from Woodside, Oakside and Hillcrest elementary schools.

To top it all off, do not forget to look up at the Harriet Tubman mural on the side of Fern Tree building adjacent to the old Ford Piano. The Harriet Tubman mural is part one of Peekskill’s newest public installations, and was funded through the city’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative as reported by Peekskill Herald photographer Chloe Trieff. LaFern Joseph, founder of the Fern Tree and the Peekskill Underground Railroad Tours, discusses the mural and the Peekskill’s Underground Railroad history in today’s Peekskill Herald 10 Question’s article.

The Harriet Tubman – Beacon of Hope Monument statue features Tubman’s golden hand, surrounded by the golden North Star, reaching for freedom, while her other hand holds a golden generational key to inspire viewers to reach within themselves to unlock the inner strength to forge their own destiny.

“We are delighted to host the Beacon of Hope here in Peekskill for nearly two months and we would encourage visitors and residents alike to come view the stunning statue, take photos, and reflect on the meaning of Tubman’s life,” said Powers.

According to Wofford, “While Harriet used the North Star to navigate out of bondage, she then became the compass rose to the thousands of enslaved who followed her guiding light to Freedom. It is our hope that ‘The Beacon of Hope’ is a monument that tells Harriet Tubman’s story, so that all may learn from it; that amplifies her message of equality, so that all may hear it; and that chronicles her journey, with the hope that we all find the inspiration and the courage to walk in her footsteps.”

The monument is over 11 feet tall and weighs 2,500 pounds. Its residency in Peekskill is sponsored by the Peekskill Business Improvement District with in-kind support from the City of Peekskill.

The Peekskill Business Improvement District works to promote the growth and development of downtown Peekskill as an attractive place to live and do business through business recruitment and retention, capital improvements, marketing and promotions, beautification and clean efforts, event creation and support, and advocacy for small businesses. Founded in 1996 as a non-profit corporation, the Peekskill BID encompasses downtown’s Central Commercial District — a 25 block area home to restaurants, coffee shops, specialty retailers, artists galleries, live/work studios, and professional services like accountants, tax advisors, financial advisors, and attorneys

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