Life of Harriet Tubman Performed at the Harrison District Library

Rosie Chapman, a.k.a. Miz Rosie, visited the Harrison District Library Monday, Feb. 24 to portray the life of Harriet Tubman. Chapman longed to be an actress but at her mother’s urging instead became a teacher. Her diverse career and education path now have her wearing many hats: storyteller, author, poet, artist, therapist and school social worker.

This was no boring history lesson. Audience members interacted as characters in Tubman’s life, and adults and children heeded her instructions to act out the fascinating life of a slave turned underground railroad conductor, abolitionist and suffragist.

Her entertaining style chronicled Tubman’s life from a childhood with regular beatings to leading slaves to freedom from Maryland to Philadelphia and later to Canada. During a 10-year span, she made 19 trips to save more than 300 slaves which prompted a $40,000 bounty for her capture.

Chapman also tells the stories of other African American women in history such as Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King and almost a dozen more. While she reads all material about the person whose story she takes on, she prefers to read their autobiography. She seeks to present their stories from their points of view.

Her unique style captivated the audience, and many expressed their desire for the library to have Chapman return. Chapman also had performed earlier in the day at the Pere Marquette District Library in Clare.