Harriet Tubman Museum Opens in Cape May, New Jersey

The Harriet Tubman Museum has opened in Cape May, New Jersey, in a 19th-century former parish house adjacent to a Baptist church. The museum documents New Jersey's history of slavery, which was not immune to the institution. In 1830, New Jersey held over two-thirds of the enslaved population in the North, mostly in Bergen. The local economy thrived on exploited Black laborers in plantations, farms, urban workshops, and ports. Harriet Tubman spent several summers in Cape May in the early 1850s, working as a cook and domestic to fund her missions to free enslaved people. Born into slavery, Tubman escaped from Maryland in 1849 and lived semi-clandestinely while helping others to freedom. During the Civil War, she served as a volunteer nurse for Union troops. After abolition, she fought for women's suffrage alongside Susan B. Anthony and Emily Howland. She died in 1913, seven years before women gained the right to vote. The museum is located on a block where anti-slavery activists gathered; Lafayette and Franklin Streets were a center of abolitionist activity from 1846. Director Cynthia Mullock stated, "This museum is the culmination of an incredible community effort to preserve, explore, and celebrate the history of our community, particularly the African American community of Cape May." The museum plans to offer virtual tours and events for global audiences.