History

Background

Our museum isn’t just named after one hero – it honors three incredible Marylanders who changed the course of history: Benjamin Banneker, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. In 2024, we proudly added Tubman’s name to our museum, celebrating 40 years of inspiration and education!

Our story begins with Charity Folk, a formerly enslaved woman who owned the very land we stand on today. In 1874, the free African American community built the Mount Moriah AME Church here – a stunning Victorian-Gothic landmark that still takes your breath away.

Fast forward to the 1970s, when passionate local activists, along with the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, launched the “Save Mt. Moriah” campaign to restore and transform this historic church into the museum you see today. We opened our doors on February 24, 1984, ready to share Maryland’s rich African American history with the world!

At the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum, we believe in the power of community. That’s why we work hand-in-hand with Maryland communities to:

• Uncover hidden histories 
• Create thought-provoking exhibitions and youth & public programs 
• Preserve and make accessible rare artifacts and archives for public research 

Namesakes

Who is Harriet Tubman?

Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, ca. 1822-1913) was born enslaved in Cambridge, Maryland. In 1849 she escaped, but she could not enjoy her freedom while others remained enslaved. She returned to Maryland thirteen times, guiding 70-80 family members and friends and other enslaved people using secret networks of antislavery activists and safe houses. Her daring successes enraged slave-owners, but they never caught her.

During the Civil War, Tubman worked as a Union Army spy and nurse, even leading a regiment into battle in South Carolina, freeing over 700 people. She became the first woman to lead an armed military operation. She is remembered for her unparalleled courage and skill at navigating the Underground Railroad. She also worked for women’s suffrage and established the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York.

Who is Benjamin Banneker?

Free-born on a tobacco farm in Baltimore County, MD, Banneker was the first African American man of science and mathematics. Among his scientific achievements are crafting the first wooden striking clock in America, writing several widely popular almanacs, and assisting with surveying Washington, D.C.

Banneker also protested against slavery. In a bold 1791 letter to Thomas Jefferson, Banneker compared the righteous fight for freedom by the Colonists to the plight of the enslaved person in America. Since Jefferson’s response seemed to acknowledge Banneker’s reasoning, he wisely published their correspondence in one of his almanacs. In later life, he kept a detailed journal of his nature studies, especially his examination of bees.

Who is Frederick Douglass? 

Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey (1818-1895) in Talbot County, Maryland, Frederick Douglass was the first African American to gain international prominence as a social crusader. With his commanding presence, Douglass was a tireless advocate for the anti-slavery movement and also supported the woman’s suffrage campaign.

Douglass escaped from slavery in 1838. Shortly thereafter, he joined the American Anti-Slavery Society as a traveling speaker. Throughout the 1830s and 1840s, Douglass lobbied politicians and met with presidents for the liberation cause. He also produced several newspapers. With the publication of his first autobiography in 1845, the man and his mission became known to the world.After the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870, Douglass assumed many posts, including president of the Freedman’s Savings & Trust Company and recorder of deeds in D.C. He was appointed Minister Resident and Consul-general to Haiti in 1889.