Directed by
Walsh, Bob
Subject of
Banneker, Benjamin, American, 1731 - 1806
Directed by
Morais, Leroy
Produced by
Breitenstein, Jochen
Subject of
Davis, Ossie, American, 1917 - 2005
Stubbs, Louise, American, 1930 - 2001
Pinkney, Leon, American, born 1963
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1981
Medium
acetate film
Dimensions
Duration: 28 min.
Physical extent (film): 1000 ft
Caption
This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
Description
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. He also recalls his grandmother's life, a white woman who was punished for spilling a pail of milk but later bought a farm and two enslaved persons, one of which she manumitted and married. This man, Banneker says, was his grandfather. Along the journey, the trio also encounter a few issues. At one point, they are stopped and interrogated by a white man just before Greenbury decides to help a couple who are fleeing slavery in the South.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
Baltimore, Maryland, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Type
sound films
color films (visual works)
16mm (photographic film size)
Topic
Antislavery
Families
Film
Free communities of color
Science
Slavery
U.S. History, Revolution, 1775-1783
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.7.1a
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd56d67649f-4f9c-4e0d-84e9-cbf3162253fc

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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