Bannaker's Almanack

Benjamin Banneker was born in Maryland in 1731 to a mulatto mother, Mary Banaky, and her former slave Robert, whom she married. Benjamin demonstrated great intellectual curiosity and by 1753 had constructed a working wooden clock that kept accurate time for over 50 years. At age 58, Banneker began the study of astronomy and was soon predicting solar and lunar eclipses. His almanacs were published annually from 1792 through 1797 and became best sellers in several states. In 1791, Banneker served as a technical assistant in the first survey of Washington, D.C. Often referred to as the “Sable Astronomer,” he was regarded as proof that African Americans were not intellectually inferior to Europeans. Banneker died in 1806 at the age of 74.