New documentaries on Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman premiere on Maryland Public Television

Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are among history’s most famous Marylanders. Both were born in bondage, and both have statues in the state to commemorate their influence. This month, two new documentaries about their lives are airing on Maryland Public Television: “Harriet Tubman: Visions of Freedom” and “Becoming Frederick Douglass.” Each documentary serves as a great starting point for those wanting to dig deeper into these formidable Black icons. And they’re also a call to look more honestly at the history of Maryland. “People think about slavery in the Deep South but not usually in the upper south,” said Stanley Nelson, the Oscar-nominated documentarian and MacArthur Fellow who directed the two new films for PBS.