Shadow of a Face

A powerful woman, barely five feet tall. Yet her spirit towers over us here at Shadow of a Face. This extraordinary monument in Newark’s Harriet Tubman Square isn’t just a statue. It’s an experience. It’s a conversation. It’s a testament to the enduring spirit of those who fight for freedom. Shadow of a Face replaces a symbol of colonization, a statue of Christopher Columbus, removed in 2020. Now, Harriet Tubman, a beacon of hope and liberation, stands in its place. The artist, Nina Cooke John, wanted to capture Tubman’s multifaceted nature. She used a famous photograph of Tubman as a starting point, the one with her wearing a headwrap and shawl. But instead of a single image, Cooke John created multiple outlines of Tubman’s profile, rotating and interweaving them. They point in different directions, reflecting her many roles: conductor on the Underground Railroad, spy, nurse, abolitionist. The interlocking circles evoke cosmograms, African symbols connecting us to our ancestors. And they form the North Star, Tubman’s guiding light on her journey to freedom. Shadow of a Face invites you to walk through it, become a part of the story. Etched mosaics share the liberation stories of Newark residents, echoing Tubman’s own struggle. Listen closely, and you’ll hear Queen Latifah’s voice narrating Tubman’s extraordinary life. This monument acknowledges Newark’s own connection to the Underground Railroad. Nearby, the Plane Street Colored Church served as a “station,” and Black stagecoach drivers bravely transported freedom seekers northward. Although no direct link between Tubman and Newark has been found, she was active as a conductor in the tri-state area. She spent at least one summer in Cape May, New Jersey, and in 1856, she guided freedom seekers to New York City. Shadow of a Face reminds us that history isn’t just about dates and names. It’s about people. It’s about courage. It’s about the relentless pursuit of freedom. And here in Newark, it’s about the indelible mark left by a woman named Harriet Tubman.