Harriet Tubman Monument Comes to Life Through Immersive Audible Experience
On March 9th, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the City of Newark, Audible, and Queen Latifah joined together to unveil Newark’s new monument honoring Harriet Tubman and her legacy, as well as Newark’s role in the Underground Railroad and the Black liberation movement.
The monument, titled Shadow of a Face, was designed by New Jersey artist and architect Nina Cooke John and erected in Newark’s Harriet Tubman Square. The project was led by City of Newark Division of Arts and Cultural Affairs Director fayemi shakur.
Audible curated and produced an interactive audio experience at the monument, written by Newark native Pia Wilson and performed by Newark native Queen Latifah and a talented cast, consisting of seminal stories of Harriet Tubman’s life intertwined with narratives about the Underground Railroad and the history of free Black communities in New Jersey. Monumental: Harriet Tubman and Newark’s Liberation Movement is also now available for free to listeners around the world.
The permanent, in-person audio experience that is open to the community–which is Audible’s first-ever site-based installation–is the latest of many neighborhood investments Audible has made to create a vibrant, 24/7 streetscape that celebrates the collective success of Newark. The installation is a marriage of Audible’s commitment to Newark and its commitment as a storytelling company, to amplify underrepresented voices.
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