<I>Benjamin Franklin</I>
date: label: Date
content: 1971
name: label: Created by
content: Handel Film Corporation, American, founded 1953
label: Subject of
content: Benjamin Franklin, American, 1706 - 1790
label: Narrated by
content: Ed Stoddard
label: Owned by
content: D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
notes: label: Caption
content: 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.
label: Description
content: A documentary film with the title Benjamin Franklin. It consists of a single reel of color 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
label: Description
content: The documentary explores the life and contributions of American “scientist, statesman, scholar and sage” Benjamin Franklin. It opens with a brief historical speculation about America's founding, before moving on to a discussion of Franklin's childhood and youth.
label: Description
content: The rest of the film focuses on some of Ben Franklin’s popular accomplishments and contributions, such as his career in publishing, and creation of a printery in Philadelphia; his development of the almanac; his creation of/contributions to a number of institutions, such as the subscription library, fire brigade, fire insurance, hospital, a militia, the now University of Pennsylvania; his contributions as postmaster general; his inventions, such as the odometer, storage battery, bifocal glasses; as well as some of his other scientific discoveries, such as the gulf stream and electricity.
place: label: Place used
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Documentary films
label: Topic
content: Film
label: Topic
content: Men
label: Topic
content: Science
label: Topic
content: Technology
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1783-1815
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, Colonial period, 1600-1775
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, Revolution, 1775-1783
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: DC Public Library Film Collection
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Moving Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Transferred from the DC Public Library
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2017.55.104.1a
objectType: label: Type
content: sound films
label: Type
content: color films (visual works)
label: Type
content: short subjects
label: Type
content: 16mm (photographic film size)
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: acetate film
label: Dimensions
content: Duration: 28 Minutes
label: Dimensions
content: Length (Film): 1000 Feet