Knowra Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker Benjamin Banneker (1731–1806) was an African American astronomer, mathematician, almanac author, and surveyor. He published almanacs and assisted with the survey of the boundaries of the District of Columbia.
Benjamin Banneker's almanacs : Annual reference books by Benjamin Banneker containing astronomical calculations, calendars, and practical information. They made his astronomical calculations available to a wide public.
Thomas Jefferson : An American statesman, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and third president of the United States. Banneker sent Jefferson an almanac and urged him to confront slavery and racial prejudice.
Astronomy : The scientific study of celestial objects, space, and the physical universe. Banneker used observations and astronomical tables to calculate events for his almanacs.
African American science and technology : The history of scientific and technological work by African Americans in the United States. Banneker became an early, frequently cited figure in this history.
Survey of the District of Columbia : The 1791–1792 survey that established the boundaries of the federal district around the new United States capital. Banneker participated in the survey during its early work.
Andrew Ellicott : An American surveyor who led the 1791–1792 survey of the federal district that became Washington, D.C. Ellicott employed Banneker’s astronomical expertise during the district survey.
Ephemeris : A table giving the calculated positions of celestial objects at specified times. Ephemerides supplied the dated astronomical predictions printed in Banneker’s almanacs.
David Walker's Appeal : An 1829 antislavery pamphlet by David Walker that condemned slavery and urged Black resistance to oppression. Like Banneker’s letter to Jefferson, it directly challenged racial hierarchy, though in a later generation.
Benjamin Banneker–Thomas Jefferson correspondence : The 1791 exchange in which Banneker sent Thomas Jefferson an almanac and challenged slavery and racial prejudice. The letters connect Banneker’s scientific work with his public argument against racism.
Molly Welsh Banneky : An English-born woman who became a landowner in Maryland and was Benjamin Banneker’s mother. Her land and family shaped Banneker’s upbringing and his life as a farmer.
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