My son was sitting on our living room floor in front of the TV, playing with his Harriet Tubman finger puppet, part of a pair of notable Black historical figures (the other is James Baldwin) rendered in felt. It was a gift from his godmother. To explain who Tubman was, and why she’s important, I had to talk to him about how she led people out of slavery and then about how our ancestors had been enslaved. I also added that Ms. Tubman was born in Dorchester County, Maryland, less than three hours from the home where we were sitting, the modern beneficiaries of her bravery.
