Benjamin Banneker
November 9, 1731–October 9, 1806
Self-taught mathematician and astronomer who helped survey Washington, D.C. and published widely respected almanacs.
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Who Was Benjamin Banneker?
Self-taught mathematician and astronomer who helped survey Washington, D.C. and published widely respected almanacs.
Benjamin Banneker was born free on November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland. His grandmother Molly Welsh was an English indentured servant who married Bannaky, a formerly enslaved man of African and possibly royal lineage. Benjamin attended a Quaker school briefly but was largely self-taught, borrowing books and teaching himself astronomy and mathematics.
At age 22, Banneker built a wooden striking clock entirely from his own calculations - one of the first clocks made entirely in America. In 1791, he was appointed to the survey team for the new federal capital (Washington, D.C.) under Andrew Ellicott. He published his first almanac in 1792 and wrote a famous letter to Thomas Jefferson challenging his views on Black intellectual inferiority.
"Sir, suffer me to recall to your mind that time, in which the arms and tyranny of the British crown were exerted, with every powerful effort, in order to reduce you to a state of servitude."- Benjamin Banneker, Letter to Thomas Jefferson, August 19, 1791
Banneker published almanacs from 1792 to 1797, earning respect from scientists and abolitionists alike. He died on October 9, 1806. His letter to Jefferson remains one of the earliest and most eloquent arguments for racial equality by an African American.
Key Events in Benjamin Banneker's Life
Did You Know?
Banneker built a working wooden clock at age 22 using only a borrowed pocket watch as a model.
He was largely self-taught in astronomy and mathematics.
He wrote Thomas Jefferson a letter challenging his views on Black intelligence.
His almanacs were praised by scientists in America and Europe.
He helped survey the boundaries of Washington, D.C.
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Benjamin Banneker Complete Teaching Bundle
Lesson Plan
8-page comprehensive lesson plan with learning objectives, activities, and assessment. Differentiation included.
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12-section interactive workbook with reading passages, activities, quizzes, and a completion certificate.
Flashcard Set
40 cards across 6 categories: vocabulary, key facts, events, quotes, fun facts, and review challenges.
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