In celebration of Juneteenth, the Glen Cove Library welcomed Christine Dixon on June 19 for a performance of her acclaimed one-woman show, Harriet Tubman Herself. The award-winning production, which Dixon has performed for more than a decade across the globe, brings to life the story of the legendary abolitionist through a powerful blend of drama, music, and audience interaction. But for Dixon, portraying Tubman has become far more than a role—it’s a calling that began in the most unexpected way.
The famed abolitionist and humanitarian, who rescued countless slaves through missions along the Underground Railroad, is an iconic figure in American history—one so monumental that portraying her even once might feel impossibly intimidating. But Christine Dixon has done it more than 100 times.
Dixon, 28, is the driving force behind Harriet Tubman Herself, an award-winning one-woman show she has directed, produced, booked, and performed for the past 11 years. A member of SAG-AFTRA, Arts Ignite, African American Women in Cinema, and the New York Women in Film & Television, Dixon first brought the show to life with a grant from Staten Island Arts.
The path to embodying Tubman began in an unlikely way. Dixon was cast as a reindeer in a children’s musical written by Hollywood playwright Morna Murphy Martell, who came to America from England in the 1960s. Martell had long dreamed of telling Tubman’s story, inspired by reading about her as the first African American woman she learned of upon arriving in the U.S.
During that children’s show, Dixon had to improvise when 25 kids fled the stage in fear. With no classical training and no acting experience, Dixon instinctively walked into the audience and convinced a young boy named Tommy to return, ultimately leading the rest of the children back. Years later, Martell told Dixon that moment revealed her as the perfect Harriet.
When Martell offered her the one-woman role, Dixon balked. “I said, ‘Mona, no, I don’t know how to act,’” she recalled. “She said, ‘Don’t worry about being classically trained. You naturally have that instinct that people go to training for.’” Though initially reluctant, Dixon agreed to perform four shows. After the fourth, requests kept pouring in—from the College of Staten Island, a church event hosted by the Harriet Tubman Purple Hat Society, and even Notre Dame.
Since then, Dixon has taken the show across the globe to places including Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Honduras, France, Ireland, Morocco, and Turkey. She eventually met Tubman’s descendants, including her great-great-grandnieces and Pauline Johnson, Tubman’s 97-year-old great-grandniece, who told Dixon, “You are my absolute favorite.”
Over the years, Dixon expanded the original 50-minute script Martell wrote, incorporating dance, Etta James songs, and humorous moments. While the original play was serious, audiences began laughing—and Dixon leaned into the unexpected comedic balance. “Harriet’s family said, ‘We love that you incorporated her humor,’” Dixon said. “That was not intentional. It just happened.”
She also customized the show to her diverse audiences, learning greetings in 18 languages and using volunteers from the crowd to portray figures from Tubman’s life. The only interactive part Martell wrote was for Dixon to bring up two children. “Now I try to use everyone in the audience,” she said.
Dixon works full-time with the New York Police Department and once received an award for rescuing trafficked children in 2024. Despite her initial reluctance, she says the impact of the show has kept her going. “Every time I try to quit, I get this burning in my stomach, like Harriet’s saying, ‘Don’t you dare. I chose you for this,’” Dixon said. “People tell me I bring them so much joy. They say it’s motivational. It’s uplifting.”
After 11 years, countless cities, and standing ovations, Dixon said she can’t imagine her life without Harriet Tubman.
