Benjamin Banneker was born in Ellicott’s Mills, Maryland, on November 9, 1731. He was one of the first African-American mathematician and astronomer to be recognized for his contributions to the fields. Predicting the solar eclipse, producing his own almanacs, and surveying Washington are among his most notable achievements. Read on to learn more about the life of Benjamin Banneker.
Personal Life & Interest in Astronomy
Banneker lived much of his life on a 100-acre farm owned by his father’s family in the suburbs of Baltimore, D.C. There, he learned astronomy by looking at the stars and advanced mathematics by borrowing textbooks from the local library.
When you gaze up at the night sky, what do you see? Benjamin Banneker recognized patterns in astronomical data from which he could calculate and forecast. He managed to grab the public’s attention when he built a wood-only clock in 1752. It was the first of its kind in the United States and remained accurate for decades.
Banneker made headlines again twenty years later when he correctly predicted the 1789 solar eclipse. Some of the world’s most eminent mathematicians and astronomers were surprised by his accurate prediction. Several others, including Thomas Jefferson, were impressed with Banneker’s ability and suggested him for the surveying team that laid out Washington, DC.
He compiled the Almanac and Ephemeris of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia in his spare time. Banneker’s own calculations of tides, astronomy, and eclipses were included in the almanac, as was information on medications and medical treatment. From 1791 to 1802, he released a new issue every year.
Activism
Banneker’s work and efforts extended beyond the areas of science. In 1791, he wrote to Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of State. He pleaded with Jefferson to help eradicate absurd and erroneous conceptions that one race is better than another. To bolster his case, Banneker supplied a handwritten version of an almanac for 1792, which contained his astronomical calculations.
Banneker admitted in his letter that he was “of the African race” and a free man. He knew that he was committing “a liberty” by writing to Jefferson, which would be undesirable given the nearly universal prejudice and presumption prevalent in the world against persons of complexion. Banneker also pointed out the hypocrisy in enslaving individuals like him while battling the British for their independence. Jefferson praised Banneker’s achievements.
Jefferson instantly noticed Banneker’s letter and responded in writing. In his 1793 almanac, Banneker included Jefferson’s letter alongside his original piece of communication. Banneker’s outspokenness on the subject of slavery garnered him extensive support from abolitionist organizations in Maryland and Pennsylvania, both of which assisted him in publishing his almanac.
Later Life
Banneker never married and devoted his life to research. However, his almanac’s sales began to drop in 1797. He continued to reside in his log cabin despite selling off much of his farm to the Ellicotts and others in the coming years to make ends meet.
Banneker died peacefully in his sleep on October 9, 1806, just one month shy of his 75th birthday. Banneker’s nephew fulfilled his uncle’s request by returning all of the objects that had been borrowed from George Ellicott, his next-door neighbor. Benjamin Banneker was laid to rest in the family cemetery just a few yards from this house on October 11.
Attendants at his funeral were shocked to discover his house engulfed in flames soon after the funeral. Almost all possessions of the African-American mathematician and astronomer, including his wooden clock, were destroyed in the fire. The fire’s origin remains a mystery. Buy the book African American Inventor Package by Philip Franklin to learn about the unsung black inventors in history.