A photo shared on Twitter allegedly shows an image of Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk sitting with his mother and a Black domestic worker. 

This is Elon musk and his parent. They had a black women helper. Who was not allowed to seat on their sofas. Who was not allowed to ask any questions. Elon musk is a racist white man like his parents. pic.twitter.com/om9proJCl6

— Boitumelo Glucose🇷🇺 (@glucose_diretse) August 1, 2023

Verdict: False

The photo is not of Musk, it is a portrait titled, “Mother, Daughter, Maid” photographed by Rosalind Fox Solomon.

Fact Check: 

Musk may require surgery and plans to receive an MRI on his neck and upper back, according to CNBC. This would possibly delayed his planned “cage match” with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, AP News reported.

A Twitter post claims Musk’s parents had Black domestic workers. The photo claims to show Musk sitting on his mother’s knee in a chair while a Black maid kneels on the floor.

“This is Elon musk and his parent,” the tweet reads. “They had a black women helper. Who was not allowed to seat on their sofas. Who was not allowed to ask any questions. Elon musk is a racist white man like his parents.”

The photo is miscaptioned, however. The original image can be found in the Harvard art museum archive. It’s titled “Mother, Daughter, Maid (Johannesburg, South Africa)” and was captured in 1988.

Musk was born on June 28, 1971, according to Britannica. Therefore, he would be around 17-19 at the time the image was taken, which does not align with the child’s appearance. 

Pictures of Maye Musk show that she does not look the same as the mother in the picture. (RELATED: No, Elon Musk Did Not Say The Threads App ‘Sucks’)

Solomon published the work in a portfolio titled “Women, Matter, and Spirit.” Interloper featured the photo in an interview with the photographer, which did not mention Musk.

Check Your Fact has reached out to Tesla, Harvard Art Museum and Solomon for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received from either source.