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Being Harriet Tubman

By Kurt Erickson, The Southern Springfield Bureau

Saturday, September 13, 2008 11:14 PM CDT

Please excuse Kathryn Harris for sometimes being confused about whom she should be.

Harris, 60, was recently asked to pose for a photograph.

Her response: Do you want me or Harriet?

You can't blame her for wanting to know: In the Springfield area, Harris portrays abolitionist Harriet Tubman, helping countless school children, senior groups and service organizations get a glimpse into the life of the woman who helped slaves find freedom in the 1800s.

Although Tubman died 95 years ago, she continues to be a vibrant part of the fabric of the nation.

Just last month, during her high profile speech at the Democratic National Convention, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton cited Tubman as someone who "kept going" during tough times.

Harris is keeping Tubman's spirit going on a smaller, more personal level.

A librarian by trade, Harris manages the day-to-day operations of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in downtown Springfield.

But three or four times a month, she dons her Harriet Tubman garb and tells the story of a woman who fought slavery by guiding scores of slaves out of the American south on the Underground Railroad.

Most of her portrayals occur at schools, where she takes on Tubman's persona and explains to students what her life is like.

Following her presentation, she takes questions from the audience. The hardest one to answer is: When did you die?

"You see, I tell them, I'm not dead," Harris said.

Harris was born and raised in Carbondale with nine siblings, seven of whom are still living. Her mother was Eurma C. Hayes, the woman who had a child care center named in her honor on Carbondale's northeast side. Harris' husband died three years ago.

She graduated from Carbondale Community High School and Southern Illinois University. She received a master's degree from the University of Illinois.

Harris has been at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency since 1990. When the state got the go-ahead to build the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, Harris helped with the design and construction of the library portion.

The average visitor to the library is someone interested in researching the voluminous catalog of material to find out more about their family history.

In her job, Harris says many people are amazed at all the information contained in the facility. People come in asking for one thing and are surprised to find it and more.

The library has one of the best newspaper collections in the nation, as well as one of the best Civil War records in the nation.

"We've had all kinds of neat things happen," Harris said. "No two days are ever the same because you never know who is going to cross your threshold."

Harris says she doesn't remember exactly when her side career as Harriet Tubman began. About a decade ago she was approached by a colleague and asked if she would give it a try for an upcoming program.

"I've always been a bit of a ham," Harris says.

To prepare for her portrayal, Harris read every book on Tubman she could find. She read encyclopedia entries, books about the Underground Railroad and even children's level biographies.

"It became a passion," Harris said.

Phil Funkenbusch, director of the shows division at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, said Harris is a natural when it comes to her portrayal of Tubman.

"It's almost like she channels her," Funkenbusch said. "She gets inside her own skin."

Although Tubman's travels and activities didn't bring her to Illinois, she does have a connection to Abraham Lincoln.

In the 1850s, Tubman was given land by William H. Seward, then the governor of New York. Seward would later become a member of Lincoln's cabinet.

Even after reading volumes about Tubman, Harris remains modest in assessing her knowledge of the subject.

"I certainly don't consider myself an expert on Harriet Tubman," Harris said.

Initially, her program began as a 15-minute monologue based on the research she'd done.

Harris credits Funkenbush for helping her to refine the character.

Now, it's a 45-minute presentation, leaving her with about 15 minutes to answer questions.

"She just does a really amazing job," Funkenbusch said. "She brings Harriet Tubman to life."

Harris' portrayal of Tubman has led her to a late blooming acting hobby. She's been on stage a couple of times portraying one of the Delany sisters in "Having Our Say," which tells the story of two African-American sisters, Sadie and Bessie Delany, and traces their experiences from Reconstruction and the Jim Crow south to the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights era.

"I hadn't been on stage since the eighth grade. It is fun. I do enjoy it," Harris said.

All told, Harris estimates she does about 30 Harriet Tubman performances a year. In September, she has four dates scheduled.

Along with schools, she goes to churches and civic groups. She's been the evening entertainment for senior groups.

Most of the time she limits herself to invitations within an hour's drive of Springfield. But, she occasionally travels out of the region.

Southern Illinois, for example, is a common destination because she can combine a Tubman portrayal with a visit with family members who still reside in the Carbondale area.

Next year, she's taking her portrayal out of state. Although she prefers to keep her Tubman performances close to home, she recently accepted an invitation to bring Harriet to a community college in North Carolina.

She agreed to the long journey because she was asked by a fellow librarian who'd found her on the Internet.

"A little research is a wonderful thing," Harris says.

kurt.erickson@lee.net / (217) 789-0865