Photo Captures Moment 3-Year-Old Reaches Out To Touch Hand of Harriet Tubman in Mural
Tracy Kilgore Lynndee, a grandmother from Cambridge, Maryland, recently captured and shared a beautiful moment when she and her granddaughter were out on an adventure.
The 3-year-old girl’s name is Lovie Hope Duncan, according to Fox 10, and she’s touched the hearts of many.
“She loves to walk around town on pretty days and explore,” Lynndee told Liftable.
As they were exploring the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center one sunny day, a colorful mural caught the little girl’s eye.
The mural is a larger-than-life portrayal of Harriet Tubman, envisioned and painted by Michael Rosato for the 50th Anniversary of the Maryland State Arts Council. Recently finished, the mural depicts Tubman extending a welcoming hand to museum visitors.
Before beginning the project, Rosato consulted with his community to determine what image would best represent Tubman. The winning idea seemed perfect for the woman who helped slaves escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad.
“I thought, why don’t I just do that moment? That moment when an enslaved person has to trust her to take their hand to freedom,” Rosato told CNN.
Rosato painted Tubman stepping through fallen bricks to offer a hand to visitors. Lovie Duncan didn’t hesitate to take it.
“When she saw the mural it startled her for a moment because she wasn’t expecting it,” Lynndee told Liftable. “Then she quickly asked if she could give her a high five.”
Duncan extended her own hand to touch Tubman’s, creating a symbolic moment of compassion, love and mutual support.
Lynndee snapped a photo and it was eventually posted on Instagram. Since its posting, the photo has gone viral across multiple social media platforms. Thousands of people have expressed how they have been moved by the little girl’s sweet action.
“The response has been overwhelming,” Lynndee told Liftable.
Rosato was thrilled to see his mural at the center of such a heartwarming moment. His intention to create an interactive mural is clearly succeeding.
The artist hopes that the photo will encourage more people to share a special moment with Tubman.
“There’s an accessibility and a human feeling about it,” Rosato told CNN. “People want to touch it, which is the incredible part.”
Rosato has painted another mural including Tubman, which can be viewed at US Route 50 near Cambridge. He plans to continue using his artistic talents to paint more murals, although he wouldn’t mind if this particular one was remembered as his best.
“It won’t be the last mural I ever do, but the impact it’s had on the community, you can’t top it. I hope to top it, but I don’t care if I ever do,” Rosato said.
If you plan to visit Cambridge, Maryland, you can also give Tubman a high five at the Harriet Tubman Museum & Educational Center. The breathtaking mural occupies the side of the building, which serves as stop number five on the Tubman Byway.
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