Benjamin Boardley: The Enslaved African Innovator in the U.S. Who Sold His Invention to Buy His Freedom

Benjamin Boardley, an African engineer and inventor born into slavery in March 1830, created a steam engine but was denied a patent by the U.S. government due to his enslaved status. As a result, he was forced to sell his invention in order to purchase his freedom.

Benjamin Boardley also known as Benjamin Bradley was born into slavery in March 1830 to enslaved parents, Thomas Boardley and Flora Marshall. Like many enslaved Africans in the United States, he had limited access to formal education. However, he managed to acquire literacy through the children of his owner, John T. Hammond—an exceptional opportunity in a time when educating enslaved people was illegal in many Southern states. As a teenager, Boardley worked in a local printing office, where he closely observed mechanical processes, igniting his passion for machinery and setting the stage for his future as an inventor.

Boardley experienced his first taste of engineering success at just 16 years old when he constructed a functioning steam engine using unconventional materials like a gun barrel, pewter, and steel.

This impressive achievement caught the attention of his owner, John T. Hammond, who recognized that Boardley’s talents could be exploited. He quickly arranged for him to work at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis as a helper—not out of concern for his intellectual development, but because he knew his enslaved property could be of great use to the academy, and he was eager to profit from it.

Working in the Department of Natural and Experimental Philosophy at the Naval Academy, Boardley’s role as a helper meant that he was involved in the setup of experiments, often related to chemical gases and mechanical engineering. His supervisors at the Academy, notably Professor Hopkins, were impressed with Boardley’s abilities. Hopkins would later note that Boardley not only mastered the tasks he was assigned but also “looked for the law by which things act.”

While Boardley’s talents were acknowledged, they were also exploited. His intellectual contributions were often credited to others, and although he received payment for his work, all of his wages went to his enslaver, John T. Hammond, who allowed him to keep only five dollars a month for personal use. Despite being a small amount, this money was nevertheless significant, as it enabled him to start saving for his future.

During his time at the Academy, Boardley gained access to scientific knowledge, experiments, and technologies that further sharpened his inventive mind. It was during this time that he began working on larger-scale inventions. His first significant success was the creation of a steam engine, which he sold to a midshipman at the Academy. The money from this sale, combined with what little he was allowed to keep from his meager wages, allowed Boardley to continue refining his designs.

Boardley eventually developed a larger steam engine capable of powering a small naval cutter, a type of boat used by warships. This engine, which could propel the cutter at a speed of 16 knots (18 mph), was a remarkable achievement, especially considering the limited resources available to Boardley. However, systemic racism and discriminatory laws prevented Boardley from patenting his invention because of his status as a slave.

The U.S. patent system, like many other institutions of the time, was deeply entangled with the institution of slavery. Enslaved Africans were not recognized as legal persons under the law, meaning they could not hold patents, which were reserved for citizens or those with legal rights. This exclusionary practice was not just a denial of personal recognition; it also stripped enslaved inventors of any economic benefit from their creations, reinforcing a system that profited from their labor without acknowledging their intellectual contributions.

Realizing that he could not secure a patent, Boardley was left with no choice but to sell his steam engine. The proceeds from the sale, combined with the small savings he had accumulated during his time at the academy and contributions from well wishers, allowed him to begin the process of purchasing his freedom.

On September 30, 1859, Benjamin Boardley was officially manumitted from slavery, paying $1,000 to his owner, John T. Hammond. This transaction marked the end of his legal status as property and the beginning of his life as a free man.

After gaining his freedom, Benjamin Boardley’s life took a quieter turn. By 1900, according to the U.S. Census, he was living in Mashpee, Massachusetts, with his wife, Gertrude, and their three children. His occupation was listed as a “philosophical lecturer,” indicating that his curiosity and passion for learning remained central to his life.

Boardley lived until 1904, passing away at the age of 74 and buried in Mashpee Town Cemetery in Barnstable County, Massachusetts. Although his contributions to engineering were largely overlooked during his lifetime due to systemic injustices, his story continues to inspire those who seek to uncover and honor the often-overlooked achievements of African Americans in history.