Hi, my name is Benjamin Banneker. I was born on November 9, 1731 in Baltimore County, Maryland. I am the son of an African slave, named Robert and a freed mother, therefore I am free. Also, believe it or not my grandfather was a member of a royal family in Africa. I guess you can call me lucky or blessed because I was able to attend an elementary school run by Quakers. This worked out for a while until I became smarter than the teacher and had to make my own math problems to solve. I guess you can call me a self taught man because I read and taught myself many subjects while living on my father’s farm.

Anyway, at the age of thirty, a friend named, Josef Levi came to visit my family. He was wearing an interesting watch. I was so intrigued that he gave it to me to study. After looking at the inner workings of this watch I carved similar watch pieces out of wood and built one of the first clocks made in America. This clock of mine was so precise it struck every hour on the hour and kept time for over forty years. This event changed my life and I became a watch and clockmaker.

Later, I became interested in astronomy. I taught myself the science of astronomy and advanced mathematics. I was able to make the calculations to predict future solar and lunar eclipses. Soon, Thomas Jefferson asked me to be a part of his surveying team which laid out what is now Washington, D.C. So I worked on the team, but in return I asked Jefferson to stop slavery and adopt more progressive politics for African Americans.

A little later, I compiled information tables for annual almanacs. This almanac of mine was published from 1792 through 1797 and became a best seller. I became known as the Sable Astronomer. I even published something on bees and computed the cycle of the 17-year locust. Even though I enjoyed mathematics and astronomy I worked as a tobacco planter for most of my life. I built a work cabin on my farm with a skylight so I could study the stars and make calculations.

Well, I am a modest man, but I can’t help but be proud of all my accomplishments. You know it is not every day that someone is called the First African American intellectual and scientist. I believe my life is an inspiration. I was not willing to let my race or my age hinder in any way my thirst for intellectual development.

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