Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom

A photographic portrait of famed abolitionist and political activist Harriet Tubman.

Credit: Courtesy of Alamy

Go beyond the legend and meet the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. 

The new documentary Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom, airing Sunday, February 19 at 1 p.m on WXXI-TV, is a rich and nuanced portrait of the woman known as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery. Born in Dorchester County, Maryland—2022 marks her bicentennial celebration—Tubman escaped north to Philadelphia in 1849, covering more than 100 miles alone. Once there, she became involved in the abolitionist movement and, through the Underground Railroad, guided an estimated 70 enslaved people to freedom. She would go on to serve as a Civil War scout, nurse and spy, never wavering in her pursuit of equality. 

Featuring more than 20 historians and experts and grounded in the most recent scholarship, Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom goes beyond the standard narrative to explore what motivated Tubman, including divine inspiration, to become one of the greatest freedom fighters in our nation’s history. 

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Watch the Extended Trailer | Watch More Video Extra Here

A co-production of Firelight Films and Maryland Public Television, the film is executive produced by Stanley Nelson and Lynne Robinson and produced and directed by Nelson and Nicole London. Oscar-nominated and Emmy Award-winning actor Alfre Woodard narrates the documentary, and acclaimed actor Wendell Pierce provides the voice of Frederick Douglass.

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