Benjamin Banneker: Man Of Science (1971)

e [Music] a number of years before the American Revolution curiosity as well as genuine interest often brought Maryland travelers to a little town near Baltimore their reason for coming was to meet the distinguished Benjamin bancker whose name was already becoming widely known and to see his new creation a large wooden clock the clock was an example of the finest workmanship but the most remarkable thing about it was that its maker had never seen a Time piece larger than a [Music] watch visitors might also enjoy scholarly discussion on many subjects Baner was a unique man in many ways he was a free black who owned a fine small tobacco farm but his neighbors knew he could solve a problem in mathematics as capably as he could run a [Music] farm Baker's family background was unusual his white grandmother Molly Welch had come to America from England as an indentured servant at the end of seven years Molly had saved enough money to buy a few Acres of hilly land with a good freshwater spring since she could not clear and cultivate the land without help she bought two African slaves from a ship in Chesapeake Bay when the hard work was finished she freed both men but the one who was called by his African name of banaki the son of an African king became her husband banaki proved to be a capable farmer from his knowledge of farming in Africa he invented an irrigation system to flood the fields when rain was scarce in time hard work improved their land and eventually they were producing good crops even when nearby Farms were failing and so their landh Holdings grew with each successful year of farming as a child Benjamin often worked with his father in the the fields he also loved to spend his free time reading his grandmother's Bible he thought it contained all the knowledge in the world one day a new school opened in the valley and Ben found many other books to explore he was most interested in mathematics his quick mind sometimes created extra work for his teacher school book stories and problems were often too simple after his graduation from School Ben worked on the farm but with his teachers help he continued to study as the years pass people became more aware of Ben's remarkable intelligence and mathematical ability about 10 years after Ben had built his famous clock a family named Elicott moved to the valley and soon became friends with the baners the elots were penil Quakers who had come to build a flower Mill at the Baner Farm they bought food for their workmen fascinated with the Machinery in the mill Ben spent hours helping to install it the elots were amazed at his ability in appreciation of his help and friendship they gave him a set of books and instruments for the study of astronomy [Music] it was the beginning of a new scientific Adventure that occupied his mind and heart for the rest of his life soon he was exchanging letters with astronomers and mathematicians composing and solving problems often writing in rhyme eventually to devote more time to his absorbing interest in astronomy Ben sold the land to one of the elots in exchange for a small annual ual income relieved of his farm responsibilities he soon formed the habit of stargazing from moonrise Till Dawn as one writer put it his favorite time for study was at night when he could look out on the planets whose story he was [Music] reading Benjamin Baner was deeply moved by the spirit of the Declaration of Independence for if Revolution leaders believe that all men are created equal surely all Americans black as well as white must soon be free in 1791 at the age of 60 Baner gained great honor and National recognition when he was appointed to the capital commission which was to plan the city of Washington DC [Music] working with his friend Andrew elott and the chief engineer Pierre Charles laon he surveyed the land for the national capital when laon quit the job in a fit of temper taking his blueprints with him elott and Baner reproduced and completed his plans from memory the same year Baner compiled some of his scientific data into an almanac in it offered information on weather and Tides data on the solar system political essays and poems Baker's editor hailed the almanac as proof that the color of the skin is in no way connected with the strength of the mind this is what Baner intended to prove that black men given an equal chance could do as well as other men few people knew that that he suffered as other men did from the injustices and injuries inflicted on his race it seemed to him that the promise of the Declaration of Independence had been forgotten even George Washington and Thomas Jefferson still owned slaves in August of 1791 Baner sent Jefferson a manuscript copy of his first Almanac with a letter urging him to uphold his own declared principles of freedom Ben questioned how Jefferson could justify detaining by fraud and violence so numerous a number of my brethren under growing captivity and cruel oppression Jefferson responded that he ardently hoped for a good system which would raise the condition of black people both in body and mind he also sent the manuscript to the Academy of Sciences in Paris where it attracted the interest of scientists all over Europe after his first Almanac was published Baker's name became world famous though the slavery system was becoming Stronger by the late 18th century Benjamin Baker's life had proved that the genius of black men was equal to that of any race and someday they would achieve their rightful place in the land of the free [Music]