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One of America’s heroes, Tubman is remembered and celebrated throughout the District with museum exhibits, murals and more.
The Smithsonian American Art Museum features the above oil painting – inspired by a famous woodcut portrait – in its south wing on the first floor. Artist William H. Johnson’s work that commemorates Tubman is part of the artist’s 1945 series, Fighter for Freedom, which illustrated American heroes who fought for equal rights.
One of the best places to see multiple Tubman artifacts is the National Museum of African American History and Culture. A highlight: Tubman's silk lace and linen shawl given to her by Queen Victoria. You can also see Harriet's personal hymnal, a brick, a handkerchief and silverware from her home and of the abolitionist, which was discovered in an album owned by Quaker school teacher and abolitionist Emily Howland. Later in 2021, the museum will debut , which features a vivid, seven-foot-tall fabric tapestry of Tubman by artist Bisa Butler.
A regular pastime for visitors to the Library of Congress is , after which point you can access the collection of the largest library in the world and dig into some Harriet Tubman research. If you can't make it in person, you can always learn about Tubman through .
Recently reopened in L’Enfant Plaza, the International Spy Museum tells the unexpected story of Tubman as a Civil War spy in , a permanent exhibit about unexpected spies. Women of color were seldom suspected of carrying secretive information during the war, which Civil War spies like Tubman used to their advantage. When you're there, you can also learn more about how Tubman helped a Union Army raid and rescued 750 enslaved individuals.
Local artists, like , add contemplative and colorful murals throughout the city. One of the most popular is , painted by Udofia himself. Tubman overlooks a panoply of African American icons on the side of the restaurant, which is also a landmark for its role during the Civil Rights Movement. In the NoMa neighborhood, DC-based artist created in support of .
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