Benjamin Banneker: The Man Who Loved Stars (Reel 1)

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.

Reel 1 of a two-reel historical film with the title Benjamin Banneker: The Man Who Loved Stars. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound. The film opens with a young man, Greenbury Morton (Leon Pinkney), and his mother, Molly Morton (Louise Stubbs), discussing their trepidations about their ailing relative, Benjamin Banneker (Ossie Davis), traveling to Baltimore to publish his almanac as they ready a horse carriage. Shortly after, Banneker himself joins them in conversation and the trio set off to Baltimore to print the almanac. Along the ride, Molly, Banneker’s sister, discusses her brother's accomplishments, including making his first clock at twenty-two years old. Banneker also has a few flashbacks and recalls a family of Quakers, The Ellicotts, moving to his county and changing the economic landscape.

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