Student Introduction to song:

The Genesee Elementary 4th grade studentsworked with the folk duo “Magpie” for a week in May 2018 writing lyrics to a song honoring Harriet Tubman called “Bridge To Freedom.”

Since this is the 200th anniversary of Frederick Douglass’s birth, we were inspired to include him in our song. Like Tubman, Douglass was born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. At birth he was given the name Frederick Bailey. When he escaped from slavery, he changed his name to Frederick Douglass.

To prepare for our week long songwriting residency, we visited the Tubman Home and Gravesite, looked at historical documents, read articles, watched movies and read books. We learned about Harriet Tubman’s extraordinary courage and her willingness to face enormous risks to help others.

In our research, we learned that Frederick Douglass was asked to write a letter of endorsement for Tubman for the book Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman, written by Sarah Bradford. He was honored, and wrote that letter on August 28, 1868. That letter is the focus of our song.

Author, Kate Clifford Larson, shared some important information on how Anna Douglass, Frederick Douglass’s wife, helped Tubman and the freedom seekers in their home in Rochester. Together, Anna and Frederick fed, clothed, soothed and tended to the freedom seekers wounds.

While doing our research we also discovered that Frederick Douglass was a powerful orator. An orator is someone who is skilled at speaking. We also learned that he and Tubman fought in solidarity to help end slavery. Solidarity means they were united or in agreement.