The park where a Confederate monument once stood has now been officially renamed after Harriet Tubman. (Courtesy of Twitter @LewisMuseum)

By Reginald Allen II
AFRO Business Writer

Cailin McGough and the Friends of Wyman Park Dell made Harriet Tubman Grove official by dedicating the space centered on the former abolitionist and slave.

McGough, president of the Friends of Wyman Park Dell stated “Our sign talks about the life of Harriet Tubman and also about the origins of the Confederate monuments and how it was removed in August 2017.” Originally, the occupied space was for the Lee-Jackson confederate memorial, but it was removed under the Mayor Pugh administration.

Credit is due to the Baltimore National Heritage Area for awarding the Friends of Wyman Park Dell with a $7,800 federal grant for the project. Shauntee Daniels, executive director of the Baltimore National Heritage Area, said that the organization and herself were delighted to assist once they saw their application.

Harriet Tubman Grove has also received support from Baltimore City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke, the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation. It can be said that the relevance of Harriet Tubman and Maryland is more significant than confederate generals Lee and Jackson.

In defense of possible criticism to the removal of a memorial and its historical context, the Friends of Wyman Park Dell made sure to add prompts for discussion and a timeline of memorials and their relocation.

The sign includes a brief of Harriet Tubman and the removal of the Lee-Jackson monument, and two highlighted questions.

Which of her roles: navigator, healer, fighter, fugitive or activist, do you identify with?

This site has been used to honor combatants from both sides of the Civil War. What do different sides view as ‘worth remembering?’”

Wyman Park Dell is located southeast of the John Hopkins University campus off of north Charles street in north Baltimore city and has been active since 1904. It was designed by the Olmstead Brothers — John and Frederick.