This was a small project for Trigonometry It was supposed to be a power-point presentation on a black person influential in the mathematics community, but I was permitted to do some web pages instead given my obvious preference for the Internet. This page gets some hits on Google so I suppose it has some usefulness.
Born: November 9, 1731
Died: October 9, 1806
Birthplace: Baltimore County, Maryland
Occupations: Mathematictian, Astronomer, Surveyor, Writer
Banneker's Almanac | Links | Various Images
Benjamin Banneker, the son of Robert and Mary Bannaky, was born in 1731. His grandfather was a slave from Africa and his grandmother was an indentured servant from England. His grandfather was known as Banna Ka, then later as Bannaky, his grandmother as Molly Walsh. His grandmother was a maid in England who had been sent to Maryland as an indentured servant. When she finished her seven years of service, she bought a farm along with two slaves to help her take care of it. Walsh freed both slaves and married one, Bannaky. They had several children, among them a daughter named Mary. When Mary Bannaky grew up, she bought a slave named Robert, married him and had several children, including Benjamin.
Benjamin Banneker grew up on the family farm. Around town it was known as "Bannaky Springs" due to the fresh water springs on the land. Bannaky used ditches and little dams to control the water from the springs for irrigation. His work was so reliable that the Bannaky's crops flourished even in dry spells. The family of free blacks always raised good tobacco crops.
Molly, Banneker's grandmother, taught him and his brothers to read, using her Bible as a lesson book. There was no school in the valley for the boys to attend. Then one summer, a Quaker school teacher came to live in the valley. He set up a school for boys. Benjamin Bannaky attended this school. The schoolmaster changed the spelling of his name to Banneker. At school he learned to write and do simple math.
When Banneker was twenty-one, a remarkable thing happened. He saw a patent watch. The watch belonged to a man
named Josef Levi. Banneker was absolutely fascinated with the watch. He had never seen anything like it. Levi gave Banneker his watch. This changed his life. Banneker took the watch apart
to see how it worked. He carved similar watch pieces out of wood and made a clock of his own; the first striking clock to be made completely in America. Banneker's clock was so precise it
struck every hour, on the hour, for forty years. His work on the clock, which gave him local fame, led him to repair watches, clocks and sundials. Banneker even helped Joseph Ellicott to
build a complex clock. Banneker became close friends with the Ellicott brothers. They lent him books on astronomy and mathematics as well as instruments for observing the stars. Banneker
taught himself astronomy and advanced mathematics.
When Banneker's parents died, he was left alone with the farm as his two sisters had married and moved away. Banneker built a cabin with a skylight to study the stars and make calculations. He worked alone, with few visitors, while compiling results which he published in his almanac.
Around this time, Major Andrew Ellicott, George Ellicott's cousin, asked Banneker to help him survey the "Federal Territory". Banneker and Ellicott worked closely with Pierre L'Enfant who was the architect in charge of planning Washington D.C. L'Enfant was suddenly dismissed from the project, due to his temper. When he left, he took the plans with him. Banneker recreated the plans from memory, saving the U.S. government the effort and expense of having someone else design the capital.
Banneker died on Sunday, October 26, 1806. He has since been referred to as "the first Negro Man of Science". Even after his death, Banneker is still remembered through monuments in his home town as well as several schools and organizations which have been named after him.
Banneker is best known for his six annual Farmer's Almanacs published between 1792 and 1797. In his free time, Banneker
began compiling the Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia Almanac and Ephemeris. The almanac included information on medicines and medical treatment, and listed tides, astronomical
information, and eclipses calculated by Banneker himself. Although Banneker studied and recorded his results until he died, he stopped publishing his Almanac four years before his death due
to poor sales.
It was with one of his first almanacs that Banneker sent a letter to Thomas Jefferson. In it, he questioned the slave-holder's sincerity as a "friend to liberty." He urged Jefferson to help get rid of "absurd and false ideas" that one race is superior to another. He wished Jefferson's sentiments to be the same as his, that "one Universal Father...afforded us all the same sensations and endowed us all with the same faculties." Jefferson responded with praise for Banneker's accomplishments.
Banneker, Benjamin - Lemelson-MIT - Contains some curious images and a detailed account of this pioneer black inventor's exploits and accomplishments.
Banneker, Benjamin - Stamp on Black History - Read about the life of this famous 18th century black scientist, his scientific innovations, and his personal accomplishments.
Banneker, Benjamin - LookSmart Fast Facts - Almanac features biography of this influential colonial-era African-American who helped survey Washington D.C.
Banneker, Benjamin - His Life - Learn about the pioneering black scientific theorist and astronomer, or attempt to solve one of his riddles.
Banneker, Benjamin - MD's African-American Heritage - Resource devoted to Maryland's African-American experience provides a profile of the talented scientist.
Banneker, Benjamin - African-American History - Review a brief overview of the accomplishments of this black mathematician and inventor who had an impact on the anti-slavery movement.
Banneker, Benjamin - Library of Congress - Library of Congress presents a look at a letter from Thomas Jefferson to Banneker about Jefferson's views on slavery.
