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Nana Harriet Tubman Became a Queen Mother in Brooklyn

A Women's History Month account of how Nana Harriet Ross Tubman became a queen mother in Ghana via the heart of downtown Brooklyn and through the souls of New York storytellers, poets, and artists.

With this being Women's History Month, I think often of two great ones who
are said to have traversed the soil of Brooklyn during their l9th century New
York days:  Nana Harriet Ross Tubman and Mother Sojourner Truth.  I refer to the
great freedomist Tubman as Nana Tubman because she, since 2000, has been a queen  mother in Ghana.  And yes, Brooklyn had quite a hand in that.  I'll "pull your coat" to that a bit later.   Then I refer to the dedicated womanist, Sojourner
Truth, as Mother because in the South of my Tennessee childhood, those serviceful women in the community and particularly the church were lovingly referred to as "Mother" whether you shared direct kinship bonds or not.

This Brooklyn storyteller and her colleagues witnessed marvelous things in
this borough back on June 2, 2000.  A major historical achievement with truly
"miniature money"!  Having birthed the historical idea of honoring Mother Tubman
with posthumous queen motherhood in Ghana, I had no idea where to start to get
such an ancestral feat accomplished--nor even if it were a possibility beyond
the realm of my creative dreams.  The Divine Purveyor of that creative dream
immediately directed me to contact John Watusi Branch of Jamaica, Queens' Center for Culture/Afrikan Poetry Theatre. 

A culturepreneur who frequently hosted group tours to various countries in Africa, John had immense business contacts throughout the continent.  I gave him a call as soon as I thought he had gotten to his office and gotten settled.  Although he related that had never heard of a person being enstooled (a sacred ritual of honor in Ghana) posthumuously, he kindly agreed to check with a significant ancestral contact in Ghana, Nana Osei Boakye Yiadom II, (Ghana's first female Chief).

Ever true to his word, John promptly called Nana Yiadom in Ghana.  This
great ancestralist asked for material on the life of Mother Tubman.  I speedily
mailed off a package, including my booklet, The Mystical Experiences of
Harriet Tubman
.  Upon receiving it, Nana Yiadom became absolutely
enamored of the spirit and determination of this great female liberator, as her
life reminded her of that of her great grandmother, Nana Awo Boatema I, who had been a freedom leader in Ghana.  She agreed to come to New York to officiate at the Enstoolment of Mother Tubman through her great-grandniece, Pauline Copes Johnson.  (Ms. Johnson lived in Auburn, New York, Mother Tubman's last place of residence and service, and had been actively involved on many fronts in lifting the legacy of her esteemed kinsperson).

So to make a long story tres short--quite a task for a Brooklyn storyteller!--on Saturday, June 2, 2000, at the Baptist Temple right down there on Schermerhorn Street, a wide range of global folks met to celebrate this international hero becoming the first known ancestor to receive queen motherhood enstoolment posthumuously.  There was Nana Yiadom and her regal entourage freshly arrived that very night from Ghana, Ms. Copes Johnson and other Tubman descendants from the historic area of Auburn, New York, Marquetta L. Goodwine (Now "Queen Quet", a leading figure in the Gullah-Geechee nation) and members of the Gullah-Geechee Coalition, descendants of those Mother Tubman had freed and served during the Civil War days.

This historic Brooklyn night they sang, drummed, and Queen Quet made a
laudatory speech about the work of Mother Tubman.   For the first time, Tubman
descendants met those from her declared homeland of Ghana.  Brooklyn community contributors, including media personality, Bob Law, the late Rich ("the D Train Poet") Bartee, and visual artist, Otto Neals,  were on hand to also receive
certificates for their services and to witness this event in their home borough;
my long-time friend, visual artist, Sylvia Sterling, traveled from Tennessee,
bearing a portrait she had created of Tubman in royal African attire, the
original of which she presented to me and which yet sits atop the Akan stool
used in the ceremony.  Resplendent in white gown and gele (head wrap),
Trinidad-born, Maria Teijmul, then a Brooklyn YWCA resident, served as emcee.
Varied touches of the global world were seemingly present in that small yet
vibrant space on that balmy Brooklyn night. 

Our multicultural storytelling group gave a music- and dance-ladened
storytelling bio of Nana Tubman's life for the cross-cultural audience. 
Dramatist,Rev. Imani Carole Parker, jazz vocalist, Keisha St. Joan, New Jersey
dancer, Cecilia Hewlett Carrington, and talented others all donated their services
gratis for this event.  Then Ivory Coast drummer and dancer, Ya Ya Kamate,
rendered a dance tribute that stirred the energies throughout the room.   When
all was said and done, Nana Harriet Ross Tubman, who had spent her last days in
Auburn, New York, received the great honor of queen motherhood in Ghana via
Brooklyn, New York on that 2nd day of June in the year 2000. 

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 All of this had been accomplished with just telephone meetings and e-mails--a major historical event in our borough with yes, "miniature money".  After all it was organized by storytellers and poets via their l'il personal resources;  but oh, what a grand storyteller's journey that was indeed--right to the heart of Brooklyn AND the heart of Ghana in Brooklyn.  

Little did we know that just five short years later, several of us would actually be in Ghana where Nana Tubman would not only have a street named in her honor  but a fabulous statue as well.  But that's a story  for another fine day.  Yes, since you so insist,  this Brooklyn storyteller will share that ancestral story quite soon.  As they say, "Stay tuned!"

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