It is the name most Americans associate with treasure, and whose name and face grace the one hundred dollar bill, BENJAMIN, his surname, FRANKLIN.
The other Benjamin, BANNEKER, was black, self taught, and became a renowned astronomer, showing brilliance at an early age. He even challenged Thomas Jefferson on his views of equality among the races.
When the Ellicotts went on assignment, Banneker became the trusted one to finish the mapping of the federal boundaries along the Potomac, now known as Washington D.C.
His study of the planets, led to producing almanacs with predictions. He received “Benjamins” for bank deposits.
He was born in Baltimore, MD., grew up in a log cabin near Ellicott City; (were he alive, he might have predicted the sequential floods of 2016 and 2018).
For the past nine years, the Banneker Park has celebrated, Benjamin Banneker, quietly. This year, June, 2018, its under the banner of THE COLONIAL MARKET FAIR. So apart from looking at his tiny cabin, his bed, that looks similar to a child’s crib, there was rope making,singing and the reenactment, of the native Indian Piscataway dances.
Benjamin in black did not quite get to age 75, and is now worth more of the other Benjamin, (Green) than when he was alive.
Theculturepagedotcom 