Benjamin Banneker was a black astronomer and mathematician, who was appointed by President George Washington to survey the site for the nation's capital.  He also created a well-respected almanac used by thousands.  Birthplace: Ellicott City.
An escaped slave, Frederick Douglass fought for the suppression of slavery in the South with fiery orations and essays.  At one time, he was also the United States minister to Haiti.  Birthplace: Tuckahoe.
Key is best known for writing our national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner."  He wrote it while standing on a ship in the midst of the battle of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.  Birthplace: Carroll County.
Babe Ruth was one of the greatest baseball players of all time and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1936.  A real slugger, he once hit 60 home runs in a season and hit 714 home runs during his career.  Birthplace: Baltimore.
Now a neglected novelist, Upton Sinclair's works attracted much attention in their day.  His most famous work, "The Jungle", was published in 1906.  He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1943 for the book "Dragon's Teeth."  Birthplace: Baltimore.