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Museum object · Photographs and Still Images

Photograph of the launching of the S.S. Harriet Tubman

June 3, 1944

South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, United States, North and Central America

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Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A black-and-white photograph of the liberty ship S.S. Harriet Tubman as it is launched down the slipway and into the Atlantic Ocean, mounted on a black paper page of a bound photograph album commemorating the event owned by Harriet Tubman's niece, Eva Stewart Northrup. The bow of the ship is depicted in the center of the image, surrounded by scaffolding. Two raised anchors feature prominently on either side of the ship and at the top is a striped banner with a large "V" victory symbol at the center. On each side of the ship are large letters reading [HARRIET TUBMAN]. The deck of the ship is loaded with sailors, shipwrights and others, many waving their hats in the air. There are also several men standing on either side of the shipway. There are no marks or inscriptions, front or back.

Sources & collection details

Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture — original record ↗

Source collection ↗

Catalog metadata · CC0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

Catalog reference: 2009.50.29.7

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