diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES b/RELEASE-NOTES
index 6c7a160..12d4889 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES
@@ -39,5 +39,6 @@
 - fix bugs in retro-compiler(1) preventing compilation
 - fix bug in retro-compiler(1) causing compiled programs to
   hang on startup
+- added an initial man page for retro-compiler(1)
 
 ================================================================
diff --git a/man/retro-compiler.1 b/man/retro-compiler.1
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..891d4fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/man/retro-compiler.1
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+.Dd November 2023
+.Dt RETRO-COMPILER 1
+.Os
+.Sh RETRO-COMPILER
+.Nm retro-compiler
+.Nd "a modern, pragmatic forth development system"
+.Sh SYNOPSIS
+.Nm
+filename
+entry
+.Sh DESCRIPTION
+RETRO is a modern, pragmatic Forth drawing influences from many
+sources. It's clean, elegant, tiny, and easy to grasp and adapt
+to various uses.
+
+.Nm
+takes a source file you provide and compiles it into a new
+image. The new image is then bundled with a RetroForth runtime
+and saved as a new executable named `a.out`.
+.Sh AUTHORS
+.An Charles Childers Aq Mt crc@forthworks.com