PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Your words could soon share space with a legend.
The City of Philadelphia wants local residents to submit original and meaningful quotes for the Harriet Tubman statue that will soon go on the north side of City Hall.
“We are looking for today’s Philadelphian to talk about their inspiration and how they’ve been inspired by Harriet Tubman, and for their quote to really resonate with others,” said Valerie Gay, Chief Cultural Officer.
Gay says it’s something that can be both personal and universal.
Online submissions opened on Wednesday and must be one to two sentences, written in your own voice, and can not be a paraphrase of an existing quote.
It will go on one side of the statue’s base, while two quotes from Tubman will go on the other side.
Gay says Tubman’s fight for freedom is still relevant today.
“Her resilience, her strength, was not just for that time. But that we all can be inspired in our own way,” she said. “There are things that we have to all overcome in our lives, and that’s what connects us.”
Plans for the statue began in 2022. It’s being designed by artist Alvin Pettit.
The deadline for submission is March 1.
A team will select the top 10, and then have the public vote on which one they like best.
The goal is to have the statue in place in time for America 250.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.