Determining Harriet Tubman’s Birth Year

Harriet Tubman c. 1885

National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Enslavement in North America. Chattel. Owned. A servile existence at the mercy of an enslaver. Forced to work without pay, no rights, no voice. Corporal punishment wielded out indiscriminately. Living with the ever-present specter of your children being sold away. Coming of age fearing the auction block and being torn from family.

Such was the world of enslavement Harriet Tubman was born into. Named Araminta Ross at birth, her entrance was not noted in her enslaver's bible, there was no mention of the event in his letters, there was no birth certificate. In her book, "Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero: Bound for the Promised Land" historian Kate Clifford Larson describes a line item in the enslaver's log dated March 15, 1822, where he stated he had spent $2 for a mid-wife for Rit, Tubman's mother.^[1] Though there was no notation of the child's name born at that time, it is most likely Araminta's birth. 

Seeking freedom in 1849, Harriet Tubman attempted to self-emancipate with two of her brothers.^[2] The newspaper advertisement for their capture, put out by their enslaver, stated Tubman was about 27 years old.^[3] Using this evidence, we again have Tubman’s birthday in 1822. However, continued historical research and discovery of new evidence may, in the future, point to a specific day for Tubman’s birth.

In 2022, we will be commemorating Harriet Tubman’s 200th birthday, using the information currently uncovered. During this year, the arc of Tubman's life from enslavement to freedom, her life's work, her accomplishments and impacts in her time and ours will be the focus of our lectures and events. We hope you join us in the spirit of discovery.

Article contributed by Kimberly Szewczyk, Senior Interpretive Specialist at Harriet Tubman National Historical Park.

Sources

[1] “Edward Brodess in Account with Anthony Thompson His Guardian for the Years 1821 and 1822,” Edward Brodess vs. Anthony Thompson, Maryland State Archives. As cited in Kate Clifford Larson, Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero: Bound for the Promised Land, (New York, NY: One World, an imprint of Random House, 2005), p. 16.

[2] Kate Clifford Larson, Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero: Bound for the Promised Land, (New York, NY: One World, an imprint of Random House, 2005), p. 75-80.

[3] “Three Hundred Dollar Reward,” Cambridge Democrat, Cambridge, Md., October 3, 1849. As cited in Kate Clifford Larson, Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero: Bound for the Promised Land, (New York, NY: One World, an imprint of Random House, 2005), p. 16, p.79.