Harriet Tubman (first cast) (Mesa, Arizona)

Photograph of Harriet Tubman statue in Mesa, Arizona, with Tubman carrying a walking stick and holding the hand of a young boy.
Photograph of Harriet Tubman statue in Mesa, Arizona, with Tubman carrying a walking stick and holding the hand of a young boy. A Saguaro cactus is in the background.
Photograph of statue of Harriet Tubman in Mesa, Arizona, with detail of Tubman's face.
Photograph of the Harriet Tubman statue in Mesa, Arizona, with a detail of the  inscription: "Children if you are tired, keep going. If you're hungry, keep going. If you're scared, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." Harriet Tubman

Dublin Core

Title

Harriet Tubman (first cast) (Mesa, Arizona)

Subject

Subject (Topic)
Antislavery movements--United States
Arizona--Mesa
Freedom
Public art
Public sculpture
Underground Railroad

Subject (Name)
Tubman, Harriet, 1822-1913

Subject (Object Type)
Commemorative sculpture

Description

The monument depicts Harriet Tubman leading a young African American boy by her left hand and holding a long walking stick in her right. She wears a brimmed hat, a long-sleeve shirt with a shawl wrapped around her neck, and a flowing skirt. As they walk, Tubman peers kindly at the boy, who gazes back at her. The boy wears a vest, long-sleeved shirt, trousers, and laced shoes. Both figures are shown in mid-stride.

Creator

DeDecker, Jane, 1961-

Source

Photographs: Waymaking

Date

1995

Rights

Las Sendas Community Association, 7900 East Eagle Crest Drive, Mesa, Arizona, 85207, United States

Relation

Monument and Myth: Commemorating Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

Format

JPEG

Language

English

Type

Visual Arts-Sculpture

Coverage

Harriet Tubman Children’s Parke, Las Sendas, E. Saddleback and Eagle Crest Drive, Mesa, Arizona, 85207, United States

Has Part

Inscription on back:
"Children if you are tired, keep going. If you're hungry, keep going. If you're scared, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going." Harriet Tubman

References

Monument and Myth: Commemorating Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

Extent

68.4 in. (173.736 cm)

Medium

Bronze

Bibliographic Citation

Las Sendas Is Home. “Las Sendas Park Statues.” Accessed March 19, 2018. http://www.lassendasishome.com/statues/.

Wander Woman Project. “Harriet Tubman Statues by Jane DeDecker Across the US.” Accessed May 25, 2020. https://wanderwomenproject.com/places/harriet-tubman-statues-by-jane-dedecker-across-the-us/.

Rights Holder

Renée Ater

Still Image Item Type Metadata

Original Format

Sculpture

Physical Dimensions

68.4 in. (173.736 cm)

Citation

DeDecker, Jane, 1961-, “Harriet Tubman (first cast) (Mesa, Arizona),” Contemporary Monuments to the Slave Past, accessed October 1, 2026, https://slaverymonuments.org/items/show/5.

Geolocation

Item Relations

Item: Harriet Tubman (fourth cast) (Ypsilanti, Michigan) dcterms:relation This Item
Item: Harriet Tubman (third cast) (Little Rock, Arkansas) dcterms:relation This Item
Item: Harriet Tubman (second cast) (Gainesville, Georgia) dcterms:relation This Item