ANNAPOLIS, MD — Governor Wes Moore celebrated the unveiling of a new roadside historical marker honoring the life and legacy of Maryland native Harriet Tubman, abolitionist and conductor of the Underground Railroad. Standing less than three miles from Tubman’s birthplace on the Eastern Shore, the new historical roadside marker commemorates Tubman’s early life and connection to her family and community.
“We continue the work of honoring General Harriet Tubman through this historic marker, recognizing the place of her birth,” said Gov. Moore. “For generations to come, residents and visitors alike will pass by here and learn of Tubman’s legacy. And they will learn about the achievements of someone who had high hopes for us, even if she never saw those hopes realized in her lifetime. Maryland has come together—across party lines and zip codes—to say in one voice: Our history is our power and we are going to protect it, defend it, and pass it on.”
POLLY IRUNGU
Born to enslaved parents around 1822 on Anthony Thompson’s farm in Dorchester County, Tubman's life was shaped by the harsh realities of slavery. During her teenage years, she worked with her father, Ben Ross, and learned how to navigate wooded wetlands and hone survival skills. Her community included Black watermen who navigated local waterways and facilitated a network of secret communication between freedom seekers and their allies, leading herself and 70 others to freedom.
In 2021, Maryland Department of Transportation archaeologists discovered Ben Ross’s home through an extensive search. Using historic documents to identify a search area, archaeologists dug one thousand holes along a historic road before finding an 1808 coin and a handful of broken 19th century ceramic sherds. The archaeologists spent the past four years processing hundreds of artifacts collected from Ross’s home, which is deep in the wetlands of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge.
Today’s unveiling of the Tubman roadside historical marker follows the launch of a virtual museum in March, which was created to share the history and showcase artifacts from the place where the famed abolitionist spent her teenage years.
“This marker is an opportunity to recognize the faith and resilience of people who were forced to adapt to horrible conditions in order to survive,” said Tina Wyatt, great-great-great grand niece of Harriet Tubman. “It also provides a space to recognize the daughter-father relationship between Harriet and Ben. These familial ties and connection to their community cultivated this great heroine.”
Following the formal unveiling of the roadside historical marker, attendees viewed artifacts from Tubman’s birthplace. Members of the community, Dorchester County officials and state leaders also gathered to celebrate the historic marker unveiling — acknowledging the invaluable contributions of the abolitionist and the importance of erecting permanent state monuments to recognize powerful Maryland people, places and events.
“The unveiling of the Harriet Tubman Birthplace Marker is more than the dedication of a sign; it is a powerful tribute to the legacy of courage, sacrifice, and unyielding determination that Tubman represents,” said Tonet Cuffee, a relative of Ben Ross. “We are reminded that her story is not only history—it is living heritage, carried forward by her descendants and rooted deeply in this land.”
POLLY IRUNGU
Standing near the Woolford County Store along MD 16, the new roadside marker is part of the effort of the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Historical Trust to increase the number of markers that highlight the state’s untold stories.
“Harriet Tubman’s courage and dedication to the pursuit of freedom for all, continues to inspire Marylanders,” said Maryland Department of Transportation Secretary Paul J. Wiedefeld. “The Maryland Department of Transportation is proud to celebrate Harriet Tubman with the state’s latest historical marker.”
To view the artifacts found at Tubman’s birthplace, visit the Maryland Department of Transportation’s virtual museum.
For more information on the Maryland Roadside Historical Marker program visit mdot.maryland.gov.
