BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – A statue was unveiled this morning in Downtown Binghamton to recognize and honor our area’s role in civil rights.

The Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity at Binghamton University celebrated Harriet Tubman day today by unveiling the first of thirteen markers that make-up the new Downtown Binghamton Freedom Trail.

Today is Harriet Tubman day, she passed away on March 10th in 1913.

Tubman semi-frequently visited the Binghamton area as she was one of the premier conductors of the underground railroad.

The director of the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity, Anne Bailey says that when reflecting on Tubman’s impact on our history, one word stands out, and that was her vision.

Director of the Harriet Tubman Center for Freedom and Equity Anne Bailey says, “Live and work for something greater than yourself. And if you do not know what that vision is yet, that’s okay, seek it. Seek vision and purpose at Harriet Tubman did, and maybe, a couple hundred years later, they’ll still be calling your name.”

The freedom trail will stretch across Binghamton’s downtown, including places such as Bethel Church, Trinity Zion Church, and the Martin Luther King Junior statue.

Each site will contain a statue and or plaque to commemorate our area’s role in civil rights.

New York State has provided the Tubman Center with $400,000 worth of funding for the project, and this morning, Binghamton Mayor Jared Kraham announced that the city will be adding another $100,000.