Source: United States Navy
Good afternoon, everyone! It is an honor to be with you today at the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State Park and Visitors Center. I would like to thank Director Sams of National Park Service Secretary Kurtz of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources for welcoming us to this incredible location that so eloquently captures the history and contributions of Harriet Tubman.
This venue was not chosen by happenstance, for today we are gathered here to celebrate Harriet Tubman’s decision to self-liberate, a decision she made on this day back in 1849.
I would also like to thank the members of the Tubman family, and all of the caretakers of the Tubman legacy who joined us from around the country this afternoon.
Many of you are authors, genealogists and historians who have spent countless hours protecting and educating others on the life and legacy of Harriet Tubman.
I encourage the rest of our audience to spend time today with these caretakers and listen to their stories so that you may carry them forward in your own lives.
I would also like to thank the Honorable Ventris Gibson, the 40thDirector of the United States Mint, for joining us for today’s occasion.
Finally, thank you to the members of the many organizations that are represented here today, each with a vested interest in preserving Harriet Tubman’s incredible life’s work and carrying on her mission to secure equality for all Americans.
Our department is committed to carrying on the ideals that Harriet Tubman championed throughout her life, and we endeavor to give every one of our Sailors, Marines, and civilians the resources they need to thrive in their professional and personal lives, as well as providing them with a working environment where they feel safe and are treated with dignity and respect.
Treating everyone with dignity and respect is a core tenet of my approach to leading our Department; and it should be at the heart of the values of any leader put in this sacred position of trust.
Our Sailors deserve the best leaders to guide them through challenging operations, who care for them, who treat everyone with the dignity and respect they deserve regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation.
In our fleet, we memorialize the champions who fought for the rights and equal treatment of all Americans through our John Lewis Class of fleet oilers. The ships of this class are named for America’s civil rights leaders; this specific naming tradition is a highlight for me because it recognizes what makes America special.
It isn’t just our war heroes, our elected heroes, or the states and cities that make our country bountiful and beautiful. What truly makes America the world-wide beacon of freedom is our commitment to equality and Opportunity, regardless of race, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender, or orientation.
American law is grounded in principles of justice and human rights. And without the plethora of civil rights leaders willing to face injustice head on, progress could not have been made in making this nation a more perfect union.
I had the pleasure of naming the fourth and fifth fleet oilers after Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Thurgood Marshall, forever illuminating their lives’ work in civil rights.
And today, I have the distinct honor of sharing with you that I am naming our ninth John Lewis-class Fleet Oiler the USNS HARRIET TUBMAN (T-AO 213).
Harriet Tubman is an American icon, forever enshrined in our national heritage because of her heroic acts while facing the greatest adversity.
Born enslaved around 1820, not far from here, she escaped the inhumanity of slavery in 1849.
Even after securing her own freedom, she repeatedly risked her life by helping liberate other people as a “conductor” of the Underground Railroad.
She was staunchly opposed to oppression and discrimination. These views resonate with the views of our military today.
Harriet Tubman, an American abolitionist, was also an American patriot. She served in the Union Army as a nurse, cook, laundress, and scout, all while also assisting fugitive enslaved people escape.
She is recognized as not only the first African American woman to serve in the military, but also the first woman in American history to lead a military assault; the Combahee Ferry Raid, which resulted in the freedom of some 700 enslaved persons.
Her military contributions provided crucial assistance to the war efforts. Harriet Tubman was indeed a force to be reckoned with. And soon our fleet will have her name emblazoned across the hull of one of our great ships.
Now, this will be the second naval ship to bear her name. The first SS Harriet Tubman served throughout WWII supporting our Sailors and Marines across the globe until it was decommissioned in 1972. I believe it is high time that another ship carry forth her legacy.
This legacy is one of love, sacrifice, and perseverance, and T-AO 213 will allow all who see her as she sails around the globe to remember and reflect on her actions of as one of our nation’s greatest civil rights leaders.
Now if I may address the Tubman family: we are honored to have you here with us today. Your great great great grand aunt is a true American hero, and I would like to thank Ms. Tina Wyatt and Mr. Douglass Mitchell for their willingness to share their reflections and insights.
I am also honored to announce that Ms. Wyatt will serve as this ship’s sponsor. According to naval tradition, a ship sponsor’s spirit and presence guide her and her crew throughout her time in service, serving as the connection between her namesake and her crew.
Like Harriet Tubman, Ms. Wyatt has spent her life serving others, as both a nurse and as an educator. She has also spent much of her life as a caretaker of Harriet Tubman’s legacy, ensuring that her fearlessness and her advocacy for African Americans continues on.
Ms. Wyatt, may your connection with this ship guide you to serve in this same spirit of faithfulness her namesake committed her life to. I know that the officers and crew of USNS Harriet Tubman are in good hands.
Thank you all again for joining us this afternoon for this special occasion for our Fleet, the Tubman family, and our Nation.
And now, it is my pleasure to introduce the woman of the hour to share the story of her legacy. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Ms. Harriet Tubman!