Benjamin Banneker created a clock and studied the stars. He farmed, wrote books, and spoke up for the rights of Black people. He also helped plan the capital of the United States. Banneker did all of this as a Black man in colonial America.
Banneker was born in Maryland in 1731. At that time, the area was a of Britain. And most Black people there were . However, Banneker was born into a free family that owned a farm. His grandmother taught him to read. Yet Banneker mostly taught himself by reading math and science books.
Until he was about 20 years old, Banneker had never seen a watch. When he finally saw one, he took it apart to learn how it worked. Banneker made drawings of each piece. Then he carved larger versions. In 1753, he built what was likely the first wooden clock made in America. It kept perfect time for 50 years!
The United States became a country in 1776. And in 1790, U.S. Congress made the capital in Washington, D.C. City planners hired Banneker to help them. Banneker measured distances for the borders of the new city.
Afterward, Banneker began writing an almanac. The book told about farming, the stars, the Moon, ocean tides, and family life. Banneker sent his almanac with a letter to Thomas Jefferson. He said Black people “have long been considered” as “brutish” and not as smart. Banneker asked Jefferson to “ ” those “false ideas.”
Banneker reminded Jefferson that he wrote “all men are created equal.” Jefferson thanked Banneker for his letter. And he said he wished to see a “good system” for Black people.
Banneker died in Oella, Maryland, in 1806. A museum there now teaches about his life. A group made a medal to honor Banneker in 1968. The U.S. Postal Service issued a stamp for him in 1980.
Washington, D.C., now has a park named after Benjamin Banneker. A marker there calls him “America’s first Black man of science.”
By Diana Richard
Updated February 4, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
