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let us bring it on most gracious heavenly father. we invite and invoke the presence of your holy spirit, we assemble to honor and promote the remarkable life of harriet tubman, a beacon of courage resilience and unwavering faith. we thank you for her strength and invictus spirit. we remember her as a light on the underground railroad, a pathway forged through love and sacrifice may we to be conduits of hope and liberation in.

our own communities help us to embody her spirit of service. compass, shine and bravery in our daily lives. psalm 75, six and seven says promote should comes not from the east, nor from the nor from the south. god is the judge. you put one down and you lift it another. so we thank you on this day for this divine posthumous battlefield promotion to the rank of brigadier general lord, we thank you for her life and legacy. give us the strength to carry forward mission of freedom and equality for all this. we ask in the sweep and sanctify our name of the one and only lord and savior jesus christ, that everyone say, man. no. the for today's ceremony are the sixth governor of the state of,

maryland. the honorable wes moore and the 31st adjutant general of the maryland national guard, major-general janeen birckhead. they are joined on stage by miss wyatt, the great, great, great niece of harriet tubman. governor of origin burkhead would like to extend a special welcome all guests and distinguished visitors, please hold your pause. applause until all names are announced with today are maryland's first lady, dawn moore, adrian jones speaker of the maryland house of delegates. anthony brown, maryland attorney general derrick davis, maryland state treasurer. brooke lieberman, patrol comptroller of maryland. currently mayor. church street members of the church freetown council. lady fifer president. dorchester county council

members the dorchester county council. thomas hutchison, maryland state delegate, district 37 being edith patterson maryland state delegate district 28. members of the maryland assembly multiple members of the governor's cabinet, lieutenant general donna martin, the inspector general of the united states army, brigadier general andrew collins, deputy attorney general, maryland national guard. brigadier andrew dockery. commander maryland air national guard. brigadier general amy kritzer director. joint staff. maryland national guard. lieutenant general. stop dingle. retired major linda singh retired command sergeant major david senior enlisted leader maryland guard. we've seen a very special welcome to the family members of

harriet tubman who have traveled today. flowers will now be presented to the family. this token of recognition is from the national guard association of maryland. and if i ask the family, please stand up.

thank you. so. it is my pleasure to introduce the 31st adjutant general of, the maryland national guard, major general janine birkhead. thank you. thank you.

thank. i am today the legislation to allow for the passage of this initiative. this summit would not have been possible without partnership of fashion chairs. and michael jackson, who helped lead the effort by serving as the bill's sponsor, sd 77. thank you, senator jackson, for the tireless work supporting. dallas guard and the veterans. i'd also like to delegate edith patterson for joining us in this effort. she is the woman that is the chair of women's legislature of and delegate peter singer leadership championing this bill hd 1026 led to today's long overdue thank you so. for we're down to you champion should be revered always a risk in her life and her oath freedom in the cause of justice for as late as a commander, i am proud

that we remember her here today for her valor and each 61 attention to these states exploded in the civil war. harriet tubman was already at war. a war with a slave culture of war was not political or military. it was personal. born a slave herself was enslaved by. the injustice and motivated the actions that were not just risky, but were rare, virtually unheard, of her when she herself walked away from enslavement here in dorchester county, not too far from we sit today, she 29 years of fear of mental conditioning that just prohibit independent action it just needed unthinkable but not for harriet tubman. she planned her state and successfully just as she did for 13 only dangerous guiding for

freedom. many of dozens of family members and friends. and as maya angelou would say, members of the human. she learned the geography contacts along the underground, the best ways to travel in the forbidding territory where. even a free slave would be taken with war began. she knew the entire union army would be ally and she became a uniquely skilled ally of the union cause she contributed her physical strength, her mental stamina, her powers of observation and personal connections, her strong courage and ingenuity that shows that she had sharpened for many years each daring army mission, any enemy territory worthy of a medal. she commanded soldiers on raids, found targets, troop movements. she returned from raids and scouting with mission

accomplished with groups of newly freed americans. harriet tubman's leadership at the union army, a well, it's saving the promise and the reality of freedom itself by to speak of so it is no surprise that the maryland national guard honors harriet tubman for the various leadership skills that strive to emulate. but the question may be why brigadier general? why not a sergeant major, the highest noncommissioned rank like them. she showed courage, concern for people like her for me as she nurtured soldiers, she cheated. once she eased even as a challenge to act and bravery, she showed others skills so when i was captain. and as you know, captain is the rank of a tactical commander. why did she plan thoroughly? missions she turned reconnaissance, actionable intelligence she led from the front and she commanded the respect of her fellow soldiers.

yet the truth is she lived the unique traits, responsibilities of a brigadier general like them a skillful and strategic leader. by investing her and her skills in the army's to preserve the union army, she advocated for black people whose freedom shown a moral rationalization for the horrors of war. you know, the civil war, brigadier were given their commission just based on how many volunteers they got. no. like them, harriet tubman was, a lightning rod, a role model, her willingness to risk everything compelled others to action. her actions communicated the of hope and the potential of a vision. her moral convictions inspired audacious actions, her work ethic, her personal sacrifice ignited others, even though they realize and they realize that

freedom not free, ultimately, the commission recognizes that harriet tubman has already earned brigadier general. that's how generations of maryland communities knew her. now we make grassroots honor in formal way to proclaim that harriet tubman was courageous. she sacrificed race. she's a skill for a leader leader. and she advanced the survival of a nation. and today she realized and help all people to be created equal.

thank you, general birkhead. it my pleasure to welcome delegate edith patterson to the podium for remarks remarks. thank you very much to our phenomenal governor wes moore and amazing edson general burkhart, birkhead, the proud family of harriet tubman. and to all assemble today. good morning. i'm very honored to have been afforded the opportunity to bring remarks on behalf of the sponsor house bill 1026 and as a 2020 324 president of the women's legislators of maryland caucus and the chair of the caucuses and women's empowerment state program in annapolis. i am so proud to be to represent those groups. today we come together to celebrate the extraordinary

legacy of harriet tubman as she is posthumously commissioned into the united states army. this honor pays tribute not only a very central role in the abolition movement, but also to her dedicated service with the union army as a scout, as a spy, as a nurse, as a cook and a laundress. she did it all. tubman's bravery and skills were instrumental and significant operations, including the copper river raid, where she made a daring mission that liberate over 700 enslaved people. i believe this part of her military history was not given significant recognition until last when i was approached by general janeen birckhead to help bring this historic moment to life through legislation with

senator jackson. i were privileged to advance and labor was unanimous support from both chambers. the general assembly. i didn't see this on bill's signing day. it was very and i will say emotional to witness governor more and both leaders of the general assembly speaker adrienne jones and president jill ferguson signed this legislation into. this historic legislation ensures that harriet tubman's extraordinary bravery, her profound sacrifices and her impact on our nation are currently woven into the fabric of our military history, where it rightly belongs. how to harriet tubman's legacy. represents the mission and goals of so groups today that are

still fighting for freedom. still fighting for equality, and still fighting for justice. her willingness to face unimaginable dangers, order to liberate others is a powerful reminder of what it means to confront our, resist injustice. it is my pleasure to introduce the 63rd governor of the single year on the before. she. good morning, everybody. good morning. i know i saw excited to be here today and not a great day for the state of today. today is a great for the entire united states of america.

i also do want to start by out all our veterans, obviously. is an important and powerful day. and if you think about the meaning of veterans day it was a that this is a this is a holiday that is for you right. this is not a holiday. that is just forget it. is a holiday that is a celebrate. each of those who chose to raise their. it's a celebration. those who chose to put on the celebration of those who chose to leave their families. it's a celebration of those who chose to put and risk everything. for us, for the hope of us, for the aspirations this country. it's a celebration of those who are willing to put their lives on the line because they believe in our freedom. and i do not think of a more

appropriate day, a day to lift up one of the greatest marylanders we have ever seen, one of the greatest patriots this country has ever seen. and then to have a day we are going to honor and lift up and commission harriet tubman to be a i could not be in a more appropriate day to do that. this is a day of. joy. janeen birckhead i just want to say thank we have the most remarkable tag of any state that ever. and i know you don't. a record of all the leadership. the only i'll say is that, you know, as someone who i finished a captain in the operation, and i'm deeply grateful. the people i served with, i'll tell and i'm honored by the

service that i did. and there was no way that were able to make her retirement account. but i am grateful for everything that you. did. this what i also i'm thankful. it is a reminder that when people say, well, you know, you got a bill done or you signed the bill, i want to know, i have to remind people of senator that the governor probably signs bills, law. but it's other folks tragically in alaska. right? i very proudly signed the bill with all the. let's clear. that does not happen. if it is not for folks like delta who pass. unless you have leaders of the

chamber going short this happens and got these leaders like my friend see your age results. it not happen without all the lawmakers that we have here today who just make sure that we are putting words down but we're making sure that they being publicly in all of her when they vote yes. that those because takes a certain and if you're a real measure of courage to understand and lift off none of this happens by us none of this happens because a it happens because we have a remarkable servants who who are willing to do the work. and so today here, this really

is a beautiful celebration. it's a celebration. but i know, i look around this room and, i see democrats and, i see republicans. i just saw what i see marylanders and future marylanders. you know, that's how the stood up. what's the matter with this. i see remarkable members of the own family family and i see everyone else. this and i see everyone else who is a descendant of but and the descendants of sarah and so on the way for us to take a moment just to remember how remarkable this assemblages that this this

is now and just to show us. and sure your body the new capital. but is but this is the beautiful tapestry of products right that we all have a chance to come together and culturally for right now because at a time when our society seems be so seat and division. at a time when our society seems be to be so focused on, the things that separates that time in our society seems to be

celestron or color from this measure of and misunderstanding. this is much reminds us of what's right and what's just and what us all. so the irony of doing it today is that today it's an astounding brought us together. and so she is doing in that what she did in life and. people people are you know when we talk about this idea that we said that that leave no one behind was not just a statement. it is actually the governing philosophy the of the more fish. but let's be clear about what the original eagle vi was.

there is no who leave no one behind in the way that general tucker. no one would have judged her at all. no patchy chosen not to keep going. no service, no doctor. no one would have judge her if she took her heart. personal, newfound freedom and spent the rest of her days just being a private citizen and spending a private in the north no. joshua because she said, you know what? that journey was difficult and there in no way of doing. despite the fact that there were still others in bondage, nobody judge her if she helped to

coordinate the entire abolitionist cause and the entire abolitionist from philadelphia. and if she just would have said, let me coordinate all here while others stayed in the south, no one would adjust. but she knew that in order to do the work that they that she had to go to the life. she knew that leadership, you to be willing to do what you were asking others to do. and leadership was not telling others to do. but you're not willing to do it yourself. nor to judge if she decided just do the work from the shadow squarely outside of the system, just for the right for others to find their own freedom. but she raised her hand. she raised her hand to join the

union army as a soldier in spite because she that you cannot just rail about a system being flawed and you actually got to be the one to go in and work to change how. tubman lived the virtues that the us military talking to every one of us who took an oath, she up there embodied this. she lost that. what she represents that you lead with honor and integrity and duty and courage, that she didn't do it because she thought the country was perfect. she did it because she thought that was responsible for helping to make its profession.

and that's the important thing that i continue take from her, is that many people will look at something unprofessional and just say, you can't replace, but then there are those special like general type who said if it is to be fixed and, it needs to be fixed. then let me be the one to go help this. let me be the that's going to be courageous involved and let me do it with unity the north star and it's important because when you think about even just the history of this state her birth state. because let's be clear she understood the allegiance of maryland history and so the units that we all go to because it is important reminder us sometimes in maryland is the northern most southern state and

it's. it's important time to reflect people let the mason-dixon line rose to the state of maryland where we it's important to remind people sometimes of the bloodiest battles of the civil war took place right here in the state of maryland right. it's important to remind people that sometimes during the civil war, maryland, to secede and allow for slavery inside of our borders. it's important to remind people sometimes if you go and look at the maryland flag i proudly wear on my lapel, the maryland flag is a combination of a union and a confederate flag. well, i'll say history back. harriet tubman knew that she understood the complexity. she understood and she felt the freedom that she felt when she went north. and she knew if there are still people in bondage, then that

means i have work to do. despite the ugliness of our marriage, there is still but one national unity could and should look like in the united of america. we go together on the same side. we we are really we are willing to put petty differences to the side because we know there's a greater good that we're hoping to attain. but here in maryland, we see our neighbors not as states but as france. this is what maryland does. our sense of common cause is not preordained. it was heard by many acts that have taken place over generations and. as long as that more are is

more. we've always been blessed to have people who are willing to make sure that and right direction and that includes people like general because general thomas continues to mark our path towards, greater connectivity and unity and compassion. love. she continues to be our north star towards justice. she continues to do as was said, psalm 61, to help us to find a rock that is higher than nine oh and we are the legacy with an honor that puts all people what we've always known in our. that our leader in acts deserve a star her shoulder the whole. community celebrate the american

moses today we celebrate our prophets today. we celebrate a soldier and, a person who earned the title of battle. and that's today we celebrate one of the greatest authors of the american story, maryland's own jay perry talk.

please be seated. it's our pleasure to welcome the 107th speaker of the bill. house delegates edward jones civil war, ohio, to present the resolution from the maryland general assembly. yeah, that's what i'm doing. second, i had brief. may i please give them. okay, we're still in morning. right. good morning, everyone. and happy veterans day for all those veterans are out here. i'm pleased to join all of you today as we honor harriet tubman, a true maryland heroine

and in 1868, frederick wrote a remarkable letter to harriet tubman, where he said the difference between us is very marked most that i have and suffered in the service of our cause has been in public and i received much encouragement at every step of the way. you on the other hand have labored in a private way. i have brought the day you in the night frederick douglass are an important reminder that the contributions of black are often overlooked. disregard it or forgotten in this day, black women continue to silently take the torch from those have come before us, like harriet tubman. we do it for our families we do it for our faith.

we do it for our communities often. we do it at risk of our own freedoms at expense of our own rights and liberties. but today we celebrate the contributions of a strong maryland black woman. today, we commemorate harriet tubman. we just did so all that's happening here, harriet tubman, for the courageous work she did during the darkest time in our country's history, because her story must continue to be told it must continue to inspire us to stand up for our freedoms. and, more importantly, for each other in the face of oppression and in any inequity, her story strengthens. it emboldens us. and today, on veteran's day, it reminds us what means to be patriots.

her story must never be forgotten in this part of that effort. i'm proud to present the following resolution on of the maryland house of delegates and before i present that how many people have been to the statehouse and the old state chamber seen the statue of harriet tubman. some of you you got to get up there and there is the is history is in harriet tubman is that one in and then you got frederick douglass at the other. so if you haven't encouraged you to do that, if your history lover if not you need to do it. yes. in the maryland house delegates house resolution here hereby known to all that the house delegates of maryland offers is in serious and recognition of the posthumous commission of harriet as a brigadier general

in the maryland national guard. the entire membership extends best wishes on this memorable occasion and directs this resolution to. present it on this 11th day of november 2024, by yours truly. and you know who i am up here. thank you, speaker jones. at this time, i welcome dr. anthony campbell to the podium to read the governor's

proclamation proclamation. good morning. the of maryland proclamation from the governor of the state of maryland. harriet tubman appreciation of november 2024. whereas ross, also known as harriet tubman dorchester county, maryland, having an imaginary self emancipate it to massachusetts the voluntary her services to the union army encamped an enemy territory attached to the second south carolina volunteer of african descent and. whereas, harriet tubman did work as and as a union spy and did gather intelligence, military intelligence for major general hunter, union commander of the department south. and. whereas harriet tubman did assist in a military special operation using her of the land and area informants and deadly

union soldiers on a mission that destroyed millions of dollars in property, disrupted enemy supply lines, emancipated more than 700 enslaved persons, gaining hundred of those men for union army. and. whereas, harriet tubman, nurse and cook for the union soldiers of the south second south carolina volunteer regiment, her service and nurse wounded union soldiers of the 54th massachusetts infantry regiment after the attack on fort wagner south carolina and. two more. whereas harriet tubman did so subsequently transferred to the james river hospitals and rise to the rank of matron at fort monroe's colored hospital before returning to care for her aging parents in massachusetts. and. whereas, on monday, november 11th, 2024, harriet tubman received, a posthumous commission as general officer in the male national guard. now he wes moore, governor of

the state of maryland, do hereby proclaim november 24, 2024, as tubman appreciation month in maryland. do commend this observation to all of our citizens. signed by governor wes moore. lieutenant governor miller and secretary susan lee. thank you, dr. campbell it is my pleasure. welcome. ms. tina wyatt to the podium for comments. well, good morning, everyone. and this is a great, great great, great day. i have not prepared any remarks. speak into, but i would just go on, say what i always say about on harriet is i love her.

i love her for her. i love her for faith. i love her for. her tenacity and her great a ability to discern. and that is what helped her during. the civil war as well. you know, we know that democracy means inclusion. democracy means justice. democracy means equality. and she came into the civil, into the bowels of slavery after having freed herself to be able to others and to be able to fight for the union to attain and continue to contain attain democracy for all, but mostly to free the enslaved that was there, and then to let them fight on an equal standard in

order to help retain the union. so now we find ourselves in a different climate and there is no coincidence that is blowing up like she is, god knew exactly what was doing. and so what have to say is that this first of all, i want to say thank you to all the veterans here and i have met so veterans over the past. five six years and really understand what you do your sacrifice as governor moore has said. there's nothing more i can add to. but thank you. and and harriet was, one of those veterans informally. informally. she gave up any that she had for

herself to able to fight for others. and so in doing. so what do i call her? she a selfless person. she gave up any. she never thought about herself. she thought about what others needed. where does she get that from? she got that from god. she focused god. she focused on him continually. what do we need to do now? focus on god? and we to trust him. rely on. recognize him. and know that he is our way out. he will give us direction. he'll give us guidance in what to do, what not to do, as he did with her. but first, we have to trust him. and i want to thank governor wetmore. general. major general birken, delegate

patterson and speaker jones for your efforts and also for the army national guard. the first time that i received an award for her was down in fort huachuca. and and that was to receive the knowlton medal award, which talks about integrity. she had integrity. and it was recognized. so to continue that to be inspired that in our walk in and what we do how we respond to people, how we towards other people to keep them mine, what god is saying to us not what we ourselves to feel, but what god is saying to us. and knowing that he's with us as he was with her. so keep fighting for democracy

wherever it presents for us to do that. and i will end it with this. a scripture and that is i think it's isaiah 5511 where says no weapon, formed against us shall prosper. well, this is how i say it now. no weapon formed against democracy of united shall prosper. and every time that rises up you should come down. thank you. thank miss wyatt at. this moment, we extend a special thank you of our gratitude to

josh kurtz, secretary department of natural resources ranger angela, director, park services, orlando lilly, superintendent natural resources police ranger dana, eastern regional manager, maryland parks service. all park rangers and dnr officers. thank you for your support. chaplain dingell. we'll now close historic ceremony in honor of harriet tubman with the benediction. let us look to the lord. magnificent and omnipotent. heavenly father. we thank for allowing us to witness promotion ceremony of brigadier general harriet

tubman, our american moses made this promotion and her story continued to remind us that one person can make a difference and that love is the most powerful force of all. as we to take the road trip in her footsteps. now, may the lord bless you and keep you the lord his face shine upon you and gracious to you, the lord lift up his countenance upon you and give peace. as we depart this place, but never from his presence. it is in jesus name that pray and let all god's children say amen and.