15926: Writing About Harriet Tubman.

The Retro 1951 Tornado Vintage Metalsmith “Harriet Tubman” Rollerball Pen is described as follows:

 

Harriet Tubman is one of America’s most iconic figures, inspiring generations. In the face of unrelenting danger, Harriet Tubman courageously risked her own life, traveling countless miles on the Underground Railroad to help other slaves find freedom and “never lost a passenger.” This Tornado rollerball pays homage to Harriet Tubman. The design reproduces the pattern from a headscarf in one of her most well-known photos. The stainless barrel has a lightly textured base coat with the pattern printed on top and is finished with antique silver trim and her portrait on the finial. Each pen is packaged in a commemorative tube. May all who write with this pen be moved by Tubman’s courage and generosity.

 

Order the pen today—it’s the perfect belated gift to celebrate Black History Month. Delivery by mail, not rail…

14915: BHM 2020—OneUnited Bank.

OneUnited Bank presented the Harriet Tubman Card for Black History Month. The response was one united outrage.

14836: Publicis Sapient CEO Hearts Harriet Tubman—Yet Might Want To Go Underground.

AgencySpy posted that Publicis Sapient CEO Nigel Vaz sparked controversy by integrating Harriet Tubman into a companywide conference call. Hey, Vaz is no John Schnatter—and the man insists he spoke of Tubman as a source of inspiration. Perhaps Publicis Sapient staffers will feel compelled to start an Underground Railroad to escape the poopy Publicis plantation posthaste. Hopefully, ignorant coworkers won’t compound the cultural cluelessness by mispronouncing Vaz’s first name.

Publicis Sapient CEO’s Reference to Harriet Tubman on Companywide Call Causes Friction

By Erik Oster

A reference to abolitionist Harriet Tubman by Publicis Sapient CEO Nigel Vaz during a company-wide call was perceived by some employees as culturally insensitive.

Vaz made the statements during a global, all-hands call across the company’s offices on Oct. 28. AgencySpy spoke with three sources who took issue with Vaz’s comments about Tubman, who was born into slavery before the Civil War and led others to freedom along the Underground Railroad.

“I shared a personal story about someone that inspired me as a child, and used a quote from her that I found inspirational,” Vaz told AgencySpy.

The quotation he shared with the staff was, “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars and to change the world.”

“In no way was Harriet Tubman referenced in any other context,” he added.

However, three sources present on the call expressed the view that it was exactly the context of the conversation they found troubling. In the call, which was described as a regular town hall-style agency update, he included a brief explanation of Tubman’s historical significance for those on the global call who may not have been familiar with her as a lead-in to the quote.

After sharing the quote, Vaz expressed his hopes that it would inspire employees as they look to what the agency can accomplish, sources told AgencySpy.

The three sources who spoke with AgencySpy interpreted this as implicitly connecting Tubman as a source of inspiration to the agency’s goals, recontextualizing her words (and, by extension, accomplishments) for the business world, something they felt was culturally insensitive.

“I can completely understand how equating Harriet Tubman’s story to business would be [insensitive]. However, in the context of the conversation I was having, I was referencing her as a personal inspiration from childhood who shaped how I think about the world around me,” Vaz explained in a statement to Adweek. “If my words were misinterpreted, that was not the intention. I believe the experience of Harriet Tubman and of slavery deserves space, respect and care.”

Ironically, the quote that Vaz shared with his staff can’t be conclusively attributed to Tubman. According to author Kate Clifford Larson, who wrote the 2003 biography Bound For the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero, “This quote was entirely made up in 2007. There is no documentation, nor historical basis for this quote.”

Vaz was named CEO of Publicis Sapientin February as the agency completed a reorganization and officially retired the interactive agency Razorfish. He formerly served as CEO of Publicis Sapient International in the EMEA and APAC regions, and replaced Alan Wexler, who moved into a chairman role.

Publicis Sapient went through a staffing realignment in July, which sources said impacted around 100 employees and was related to financial performance. This year the agency has faced the challenge of a reorganization accompanying Vaz’s arrival, as it retired the Razorfish brand in the wake of its absorption into Publicis Sapient.

14017: BHM 2018—Maryland.

Maryland entices visitors to salute BHM by honoring Frederick Douglass’ birthday and accomplishments, as well as exploring Harriet Tubman’s Underground Railroad Byway. President Donald Trump is probably pissed that he didn’t receive an invitation to Douglass’ birthday party.

11730: BHM 2014—Google.

Google salutes Harriet Tubman.

8457: Park Planned For Harriet Tubman.

From EmpireStateNews.net…

Senators support creation of Harriet Tubman National Historical Park

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand introduced legislation to create a National Historical Park preserving and promoting the life of Harriet Ross Tubman, the most famous “conductor” of the anti-slavery resistance network known as the Underground Railroad. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park and The Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historic Park Act would establish two parks, one in New York and one in Maryland. The National Historic Park in Auburn, NY would focus on her later years where she was active in the suffrage movement and established one of the first incorporated homes for aged African Americans. The National Historic Park in Maryland will trace her life on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, where she was one of the leaders on the Underground Railroad. The National Parks Service (NPS) endorsed the legislation, determining through a multi-year study that Auburn is a suitable location for a national park to preserve and promote the life and legacy of Harriet Ross Tubman.

“This legislation will provide a big boost to our regional tourism industry as people from across the country flock to Auburn to visit the Harriet Tubman House,” said Senator Schumer. “Harriet Tubman is an American hero, and we should be honoring and preserving her life’s work so that it may inspire future generations. Thanks to this bill, the individuals who have been working so hard to protect her legacy in Auburn will get aide to help them maintain the site as a monument to the freedom and equality that we cherish.”

“Harriet Tubman is a remarkable American hero who continues to inspire me today,” said Senator Gillibrand. “Her unwavering commitment to helping others while risking her own life in the long fight for equality has left an indelible legacy. This national park in Auburn, NY would provide an important place where men and women of all backgrounds can come together and reflect on the significance of her life.”

In New York, the bill authorizes grants for the preservation, rehabilitation, and restoration of the many Harriet Tubman properties. The allocation of these funds would be determined by a locally driven planning process after the passage of the bill. The Harriet Tubman National Historical Park would include important historical structures in Auburn, New York. They include Tubman’s home, the Home for the Aged that she established, the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church and rectory. The legislation would also help boost tourism in the region by providing funds for the development and construction of interpretive historical materials. Thematically linking several historical sites would help visitors better understand Harriet Tubman's important contribution to Central New York and the United States as a whole.

Harriett Tubman has a deep history in both New York and Maryland. Harriet Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, where she spent nearly 30 years as a slave. She escaped slavery in 1849, but returned for more than 10 years to Dorchester and Caroline counties where she led hundreds of African Americans to freedom. In 1857, Harriet relocated her parents from St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada to Auburn, NY. Soon after, she purchased land in Auburn and spent the rest of her life there. In 1913, she was buried in Fort Hill Cemetery in Auburn, NY.

5876: Assorted Train Wrecks.

Working on a railroad in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• The New York Times reported scholars believe it’s unlikely that Harriet Tubman ever uttered the words attributed to her in Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Democratic National Convention speech. Clinton’s quotes included, “If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there’s shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.” The scholars believe Clinton was probably paraphrasing popular expressions associated with the Underground Railroad conductor. They probably also believe Clinton’s campaign ultimately derailed into a massive train wreck.

• Sears reported 2Q profits fell 62 percent. Tiffany reported 2Q profits doubled, due in part to strong sales in Asia and Europe. Which makes sense, as folks in the U.S. can’t even afford to shop at Sears.