Benjamin Banneker Biography
Benjamin Banneker was a free African American scientist, surveyor, almanac author and farmer. Born in Baltimore County, Maryland, to a free African American woman and a former slave, Banneker had little formal education and was largely self-taught. He is known for being part of a group led by Major Andrew Ellicott that surveyed the borders of the original District of Columbia, the federal capital district of the United States.
Banneker's knowledge of astronomy helped him author a commercially successful series of almanacs. He corresponded with Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the United States Declaration of Independence, on the topics of slavery and racial equality. Abolitionists and advocates of racial equality promoted and praised his works.
Parks, schools, streets and other tributes have commemorated Banneker throughout the years since he lived. However, many accounts of his life exaggerate or falsely attribute his works. Source: Wikipedia
Biography Snapshot
- Name:
- Benjamin Banneker
- Nationality:
- United States of America
- Profession:
- Inventor, Astronomer, Mathematician, Surveyor
- Ethnicity:
- African American
- Religion:
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- Date of Birth:
- November 9, 1731
- Astrological Sign:
- Scorpio
- Date of Death:
- October 9, 1806
- Age at Death:
- 74
Benjamin Banneker Timeline
Cite this page
APA Style
Benjamin Banneker. (2023). The HistoryHop.com website. Retrieved 12:29pm UTC, Apr 2, 2023, from www.historyhop.com/famous-people/benjamin-banneker/bio.
Harvard Style
Benjamin Banneker. [Internet]. 2023. The HistoryHop.com website. Available from: www.historyhop.com/famous-people/benjamin-banneker/bio [Accessed 02 Apr 2023].
MLA Style
"Benjamin Banneker." Bio. The HistoryHop.com website, 2023. Web. 02 Apr 2023.
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