For Black Historical past Month we’re taking a more in-depth take a look at mathematician, statistician, astronomer, surveyor, and farmer Benjamin Banneker.
Benjamin Banneker was born on November 9, 1731, in Baltimore County, Maryland. He lived on his household’s 100-acre farm close to present-day Ellicott Metropolis his total life. Whereas many mythologies have developed surrounding Banneker and his accomplishments since his loss of life, his life was nonetheless extraordinary.
What we do find out about Banneker is that he realized to learn and write and attended Quaker faculty that taught each White and Black college students. He was very adept at arithmetic, and with a thirst for data he continued to coach himself all through his life via books and observations. After his father handed away, he took cost of the household’s farm. He was undoubtedly outstanding—an 18th-century free Black man residing in a slave state who was each educated and a property proprietor.
Banneker has turn out to be well-known for a lot of issues, and accounts of his accomplishments range. He made a working clock—completely out of wooden—which saved correct time for many years. After he grew to become fascinated by astronomy, he precisely predicted the 1789 photo voltaic eclipse, contradicting predictions of well-known mathematicians and astronomers. He printed an almanac of tide tables, eclipses, and helpful medicinal merchandise and formulation—the primary scientific ebook by a Black American, which was printed yearly for ten years.
Banneker, nonetheless, was finest identified for serving as a surveyor on the group that laid out the preliminary boundaries for Washington, DC. The Residence Act of 1790 approved President George Washington to pick a 100-square-mile web site for the nationwide capital on the Potomac River. As soon as Washington finalized his choice, he ordered the Commissioners for the District of Columbia to survey the boundary of the brand new capital metropolis.
Main Andrew Ellicott was appointed to conduct the survey. Banneker, who was a neighbor and good good friend of Ellicott’s cousin, George, was a part of the survey group that was assembled. From February to April 1791, Banneker made the astronomical observations and calculations wanted to ascertain the south nook of the sq. in Jones Level. Banneker obtained $2 a day for his work, which was lower than the $5 Ellicott was paid, nevertheless it was consistent with what different assistant surveyors have been making at the moment.
On April 15, 1791, the primary Boundary Stone was laid at Jones Level in Alexandria. Sadly, as a result of superior age and poor well being, Banneker was not in a position to accompany Ellicott’s group for the rest of the forty-mile boundary.
After his work at Jones Level, Banneker went again dwelling to work on his farmer’s almanac. He had retired from farming, and deliberate to spend the reminder of his life centered on his research. Banneker died on October 9, 1806. Shortly after his loss of life, a hearth destroyed most of his possessions, which has contributed to the numerous contradictory tales associated to his life.
There are quite a few commemorations of Banneker within the metropolis he helped set up together with a highschool, a neighborhood heart, and a memorial park—all together with his title. There are extra memorials and parks devoted to him in Maryland and Virginia, together with Benjamin Banneker Park in Arlington, which comprises one of many boundary stones.
Within the early twenty first century, there was an effort so as to add a statue of Banneker on the Benjamin Banneker Park at L’Enfant Plaza promenade in Washington DC. After preliminary plans failed, a prototype of a statue for the Benjamin Banneker Memorial in Washington, DC, was unveiled on the Nationwide Archives Constructing in 2008. Up to now, nonetheless, the statue has not been added to the park.
Go to our African American Heritage web page for assets associated to Black historical past. And be taught extra concerning the Residence Act and the creation of the capital metropolis in our weblog.
