HAMMONTON - History came to life on Thursday at Kramer Hall with a one woman performance of “The Journey of Harriet Tubman” performed by Dr. Daisy Nelson Century.
“I have always wanted to be an actress since the third grade but my parents wanted me to go college for a more reliable career,” said Century, who is trained as a science teacher. Still, the acting bug never left her and the desire to perform laid just beneath the surface.
Eventually, her desire to act led Century to become a historical interpreter. “A historical interpreter is someone who becomes the person compared to just reenacting someone,” said Century.
She first became a historical interpreter after feeling compelled to learn more about Sojourner Truth. The more she learned about Sojourner Truth, a famous abolitionist and women’s rights activist, the more Century wanted to create an educational program for people to learn about her.
Gradually, after performing the life of Sojourner Truth, Dr. Century became interested in performing other famous African-American women, including Harriet Tubman.
Century’s one-woman performance of Harriet Tubman covers nearly all of Tubman’s life, including her early childhood. Tubman was born a slave in Maryland under the name Araminta Ross. According to Dr. Century’s interpretation of Tubman, she would go on to change her name to Harriet because she did not like her given name. She much preferred her mother’s name of Harriet.
Tubman eventually come to be called Moses among slaves because of the work she did leading slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad.
Along with Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman, Dr. Century also performs the lives of Bessie Coleman, Hatshepsut, Madame C.J. Walker, Phyllis Wheatley and Mary Fields. When asked why she does not perform the lives of any other famous women, Century says, “These were the ones who came.”
For more information on Dr. Century and her historical interpretations, please call her at (267) 977-8335 or visit her website at www.daisycentury.com.