This image is being shared on the internet as being Harriet Tubman’s mother, Harriet “Rit” Greene Ross.

There is no proof we can find that it is a photograph of Rit Green Ross, Harriet Tubman’s mother.
Harriet "Rit" Greene Ross was born about 1785 or 1787 in Dorchester County, Maryland.

Rit and her mother Modesty were owned by Atthow Pattison

She died in October 1880, nearly 100 years old in Auburn, NY.

We are not saying this is Harriet's mother and we're not saying it isn't, we're saying we can find no proof either way.

And until we find proof, all we know is that this is a Beautiful Black woman with a beautiful afro.
We do our best to clear up mis-identified photographs of Black people.

Here is what we did find about this photograph.
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DESCRIPTION
Title: Bust portrait, woman with “Afro” hair dressing. Tintype, sixth plate

Creator: Studio unknown

Published / Created: circa 1880
Extent:1 photograph-tintype

COLLECTION INFORMATION
Repository: Yale University-Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Call Number: JWJ MSS 54

Collection Title: Randolph Linsly Simpson African-American Collection

Collection/Other Creator
Simpson, Randolph Linsly, 1927-1992

Collection Date: 1728-1991 (Bulk: 1850-1970)

Collection Note: Series I. Visual

Material. TINTYPES

Container / Volume
Box 7 | Folder 97

Source of photograph:
Yale University Library
https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/2002154