Harriet Tubman sculpture coming to Fergus, Guelph
GUELPH – A travelling sculpture of Harriet Tubman is set to make stops in Fergus and Guelph next week, recognizing the communities’ significance on the Underground Railroad.
The Travelling Exhibition: Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom will make stops on July 6 at Heritage Hall in Guelph from 10am to 1pm and the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex from 3pm to 6pm.
At the Fergus sportsplex, formal remarks will be held at 3:15pm and the exhibition will remain open for public viewing.
The Guelph stop (at 83 Essex St.) is hosted by the Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) and also open for community members to attend.
The Fergus stop is presented by the Township of Centre Wellington and the Centre Wellington Black Committee, “reflecting a shared commitment to recognizing and celebrating Black history and its connections to our local community,” officials state in a press release.
The Freedom Walk 2026 is a multi-day, international tour commemorating the Underground Railroad and the enduring legacy of Black freedom seekers in North America.
It features a striking nine-foot, 2,200-pound bronze sculpture of Harriet Tubman, created by acclaimed sculptor Wesley Wofford.
“The travelling monument depicts Tubman courageously leading a young child to freedom and honours her unwavering commitment to justice, freedom, and human dignity,” officials state.
“Since 2020, the sculpture has travelled throughout North America, inspiring conversations about history, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality.”
The tour is led by historian, educator and living history interpreter Tony Cohen, accompanied by Tom DeWolf, executive director of Coming to the Table and the driver transporting the Harriet Tubman sculpture.
The tour traces routes of the Underground Railroad from Maryland through New York State and across Ontario, engaging communities in reflection, education and celebration of Black resilience.
The Ontario portion of the tour includes stops in Guelph, Fergus, Chatham, Dresden, North Buxton, Lakeshore, Windsor, and Amherstburg from July 6 to 11.
For more information about the walk visit menare.org/freedomwalk2026-about.
The visit of Harriet Tubman – Journey to Freedom is particularly meaningful for Centre Wellington, which is home to its own significant Black history, township officials state.
The township’s roots include the Pierpoint Settlement, one of the earliest known Black settlements in the region that was established by Richard Pierpoint, who was designated a National Historic Person by the Government of Canada in 2020.
Pierpoint was a Black Loyalist, military veteran, griot and formerly enslaved man who was granted land near present-day Fergus in the early 1800s.
While Harriet Tubman would later guide hundreds of freedom seekers along the Underground Railroad to Canada, Richard Pierpoint’s story reflects an additional chapter in the struggle for freedom and the contributions of Black settlers who helped shape this community.
“Today, both stories serve as powerful reminders of resilience, courage, and the pursuit of freedom,” officials state.
At Heritage Hall in Guelph, June 6 is also the first day of the GBHS Dream Makers Summer Camp, and youth and community members will be able to learn directly from tour participants, view the Harriet Tubman sculpture and explore the history of Black settlement and resistance in Wellington County and Guelph.
“Honouring the past, lifting the present and inspiring tomorrow is at the heart of our work at GBHS,” stated GBHS program coordinator Denise L. Francis in a press release.
“Hosting the Freedom Walk and the Harriet Tubman sculpture is a powerful reminder of the courage, community, and collective action that shaped Black history in this region and across Canada.”
