Women in History Program

at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site ~Plains High School Museum

February 3, 2012

Limited seating~Book early to reserve your seats!

Please complete the Field Trip Request Form and fax it to Annette Wise at 229-824-5556 or e-mail  plainsed@jimmycarter.info . You will receive a confirmation notice once your request is processed.

This is a free performance.

          Journey To Freedom

             Harriet Tubman A Journey to Freedom

This program is a dramatic presentation of the life story of Harriet Tubman, an American hero. It is a one-woman show that is appropriate for students studying this time frame in U.S. history. Harriet describes her childhood and her life as a slave on the Brodas plantation. When Harriet was a little girl she knew that freedom was her God given right and she often dreamed of being free. At the age of 29 Harriet made her daring escape and the audience travels with her on the road to freedom via the “Underground Railroad.” Artist wears period costume and sings songs that Harriet sang to alert the slaves she had come to lead them to freedom. This program is 45 minutes including a question and answer session.

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            Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Ross around 1820 on a plantation in Maryland. She worked as a house servant for a short period of time before becoming a field hand. Harriet escaped from the bonds of slavery in the summer of 1849. She traveled by night through Maryland, Delaware and finally to Philadelphia. She made 19 trips back down south to lead other slaves, including her parents to freedom. She soon became known as the “Moses,” of her people. Her trips were carefully planned and brilliantly executed by the use of the “Underground Railroad,” an ever-changing series of secret hiding places. During the Civil War, Harriet Tubman served the Union Army as a spy, scout, and hospital nurse. After the war she made her home in Auburn, NY where she lived until her death on March 10, 1913.

Please complete the Field Trip Request Form and fax it to Annette Wise at 229-824-5556 or e-mail  plainsed@jimmycarter.info . You will receive a confirmation notice once your request is processed.

This is a free performance.

Teacher/Parent_____________________________________________

Phone number __________________________ Fax________________

e-mail ____________________________________________________

Total number of seats needed for your group_____________________

Performances will be at 9:30 and 10:45

First choice ______________

We ________________________ visit the 1930s Jimmy Carter Boyhood Farm after the performance.

                 (will or will not)

Picture from the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum

The platform in the picture is located on the side of the depot and was often the spot where candidate Jimmy Carter gave speeches. All the streets would be closed with as many as ten thousand crowded into Plains to see and hear Jimmy Carter.

For more information about the Depot, go to www.jimmycarter.info and look at the multimedia section.

Today, visitors can tour the Depot which is part of the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. Teachers can request special lessons and activities for school groups. To book a field trip go to www.jimmycarter.info and click on Field Trips.

On January 20, 1977 following the swearing in as the 39th President of the United States of America, President Jimmy Carter thanked his predecssor, President Gerald Ford  ”for all he had done to heal our land.” Then, President Carter quoted his English teacher, Miss Julia Coleman…   “We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.”

In front of President Carter was the Bible used in the inauguration of our first President, in 1789. President Carter took the Oath of Office on the Bible his mother, Lillian Carter, had given him several years earlier. A passage from this Bible was incoporataed into his inauguration speech. To hear the 1977 speech, go to www.jimmycarter.info or www.jimmycarterlibrary.org

Plains High School

One of the teachers, Miss Julia Coleman, who later served as Principal and then Superintendent of the school often told the students to “Study hard, one of you may be President one day.”  Little did anyone know that one day one of the students would become President of the United States of America and another would become First Lady.

Miss Julia had a tremendous impact on many students, Jimmy Carter, being one of them.  In 1977, President Carter quoted Miss Julia in his inauguration speech and in 2002 he once again paid tribute to his former English teacher and quoted her in his Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech.

Plains High School closed in 1976 due to schools in Sumter County being consolidated. The school reopened in 1996 as the main visitors center for the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site. In 1997, Governor Zell Miller, signed a bill designating it the Official State School of Georgia – one of our state symbols. For more information about Plains High School go to www.jimmycarter.info.

Plains went through many changes during the campaign years and presidential years. Many of the stores changed through the years to accommodate the needs of the tourist. Before the campaign days, Plains was a sleepy, little agricultural community. Now, thousands of visitors come to Plains each year to visit the Depot, Plains High School Museum and the 1930s Boyhood Farm.

In 1996 an Education Program was established and continues to offer curriculum based field trips for K-12 grade students. To learn more about these free field trips go to www.jimmycarter.info

Flat Stanley was glad to see the lighting last night. He thinks it is pretty neat to watch it in such an open place. The big city lights don’t interfere with the big flashes from the storm. This was the first rain Plains had since Flat Stanley arrived here for his summer vacation.

Stay tuned for more adventures!