the harriet tubman memorial, also known as swing low, located in manhattan in new york city, honors the life of abolitionist harriet tubman. the intersection at which it stands was previously a barren traffic island, and is now known as "harriet tubman triangle". as part of its redevelopment, the traffic island was landscaped with plants native to new york and to tubman's home state of maryland, representing the land which she and her underground railroad passengers travelled across.