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Primary sourceArtifact1891

Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church, Auburn

1891

The church in Auburn, New York, that Harriet Tubman attended and to which she deeded property for her Home for the Aged.

Tubman attended this Auburn church and deeded it property that became her Home for the Aged.

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Side view of a weathered wooden church in autumn under a blue sky, with a tall steeple with louvered belfry openings, a green shingled roof, gray shutters, and a small entrance porch surrounded by overgrown shrubs with yellowing leaves.
Thompson Memorial AME Zion Church, Auburn, New York, 1891. Harriet Tubman National Historical Park.

About this source

What it is

This is the Thompson Memorial African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Zion Church in Auburn, New York, dated to 1891. It is now part of the Harriet Tubman National Historical Park.

Why it matters

Tubman became active in this church, and in 1895 she began discussions with AME Zion leaders about her property. The church shows how deeply her Christian faith and her local Black community shaped her later years, including her decision to deed her land for the Home for the Aged.

Look closer

  • What does Tubman's involvement with this church suggest about her community life in Auburn?
  • Why might a church have been central to the founding of a home for the elderly?
  • What does the building's preservation today tell us about how this history is remembered?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Harriet Tubman on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Scan of an 1849 newspaper runaway-slave reward notice headed 'Three Hundred Dollars Reward', offering rewards for three runaways named Harry, Ben and Minty, signed by Eliza Ann Brodess near Bucktown, Dorchester County, Md.Newspaper article

Primary source

Three Hundred Dollars Reward Notice

Eliza Ann Brodess · 3 October 1849

Black-and-white studio portrait of a standing woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar, buttons down the bodice, and a tasseled key at her waist. Her hand rests on a draped chair; a hat and coat lie on a fringed stool, and a draped table stands at left against a plain backdrop with a column.Photograph

Primary source

Harriet Tubman

Harvey B. Lindsley · c. 1871-1876

Scan of a dark brown cloth book cover with a worn, faded light-colored title block at the top left, too faded to read clearly. The rest of the cover is plain, with a visible spine edge along the left side.Book

Secondary source

Harriet, the Moses of Her People

Sarah Bradford · 1886

Sepia carte-de-visite portrait of a seated Black woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar and a light checked skirt, leaning her arm on a spindle chair. Handwritten signature reads Harriet Tubman. Red and cream border.Photograph

Primary source

Carte-de-visite Portrait of Harriet Tubman

Benjamin Powelson · c. 1868-1869

Scanned handwritten General Affidavit form, filled in by hand, with a title printed at top. The text describes a claim for services as nurse and cook in hospitals and as commander of scouts during the Civil War. Signatures of affiants appear at the bottom, including Harriet Tubman's name and her mark.Document

Primary source

General Affidavit of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman · 1898

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